Geometrical Optics Quizzes: Test Your Understanding of Light and Optics

Question 1

A ray of light travels from a medium with a refractive index of 1.5 to a medium with a refractive index of 1.2. If the angle of refraction is 45 degrees, what is the angle of incidence?

Accepted Answer

26.5 degrees

Answer

45 degrees

Answer

60 degrees

Answer

75 degrees

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a concave mirror?

Accepted Answer

Has a positive focal length

Answer

Can form real images

Answer

Can form virtual images

Answer

Can be used as a converging lens

Question 3

An optical instrument that uses a combination of lenses to magnify distant objects is called a:

Accepted Answer

Telescope

Answer

Microscope

Answer

Spectrometer

Answer

Diffraction grating

Question 4

The magnifying power of a compound microscope is given by the product of the magnification of the objective lens and the magnification of the:

Accepted Answer

Eyepiece lens

Answer

Condenser lens

Answer

Field lens

Answer

Objective lens

Question 5

Which of the following is a property of a real image?

Accepted Answer

It can be projected onto a screen

Answer

It cannot be projected onto a screen

Answer

It is always larger than the object

Answer

It is always smaller than the object

Question 6

The refractive index of a material primarily indicates:

Accepted Answer

The speed of light within the material

Answer

The angle of deviation when light enters the material

Answer

The amount of light absorbed by the material

Answer

The polarization of light passing through the material

Question 7

Astigmatism arises primarily due to:

Accepted Answer

An irregularly shaped cornea

Answer

Insufficient lens flexibility

Answer

An abnormally shaped retina

Answer

An excessively small pupil

Question 8

When a beam of white light passes through a prism, it undergoes dispersion. Which color deviates the most from its original direction?

Accepted Answer

Violet

Answer

Red

Answer

Orange

Answer

Yellow

Question 9

A plane mirror has which characteristic?

Accepted Answer

Reflects light without altering its wavelength

Answer

Reflects light and changes its wavelength

Answer

Absorbs light without reflecting it

Answer

Refracts light without reflecting it

Question 10

Which lens type can converge parallel light rays?

Accepted Answer

Convex lens

Answer

Concave lens

Answer

Plano-concave lens

Answer

Plano-convex lens

Question 11

The equation relating object distance (u), image distance (v), and focal length (f) of a thin lens is called:

Accepted Answer

Lens equation

Answer

Snell's law

Answer

Huygens' principle

Answer

Ray tracing equation

Question 12

Which property is NOT exhibited by images formed by a convex mirror?

Accepted Answer

Real

Answer

Virtual

Answer

Upright

Answer

Reduced

Question 13

What is the primary function of a diaphragm in an optical instrument?

Accepted Answer

Control the amount of light entering the instrument

Answer

Focus light onto the image plane

Answer

Separate different wavelengths of light

Answer

Adjust the magnification of the instrument

Question 14

The minimum discernible separation between two points in an optical instrument is known as:

Accepted Answer

Resolution

Answer

Magnification

Answer

Contrast

Answer

Sharpness

Question 15

Which optical instrument utilizes the principle of total internal reflection?

Accepted Answer

Optical fiber

Answer

Telescope

Answer

Microscope

Answer

Prism

Question 16

Which property is NOT a characteristic of lasers?

Accepted Answer

Polychromatic

Answer

Monochromatic

Answer

Coherent

Answer

Highly directional

Question 17

Which of the following statements is not a property of a thin lens?

Accepted Answer

The magnification depends on the wavelength of light

Answer

Light rays are refracted at the surfaces

Answer

The image can be real or virtual

Answer

The focal length is fixed for monochromatic light

Question 18

Which of the following optical instruments utilizes a concave mirror as its primary objective?

Accepted Answer

Reflecting telescope

Answer

Eyepiece

Answer

Compound microscope

Answer

Refracting telescope

Question 19

The critical angle for total internal reflection from glass to air is approximately:

Accepted Answer

42°

Answer

24°

Answer

62°

Question 20

A concave mirror has a radius of curvature of 20 cm. What is the magnification of the image formed by an object placed 10 cm from the mirror?

Accepted Answer

-0.5

Answer

2

Answer

0.5

Answer

1

Question 21

Which of the following is NOT a property of a real image?

Accepted Answer

It can be projected onto a screen.

Answer

It is located on the same side of the lens or mirror as the object.

Answer

It is inverted.

Answer

It is formed by converging rays.

Question 22

A telescope has an objective lens with a focal length of 100 cm and an eyepiece lens with a focal length of 10 cm. What is the magnifying power of the telescope?

Accepted Answer

10

Answer

20

Answer

15

Answer

5

Question 23

A Michelson interferometer is used to measure the wavelength of a light source. If the fringes produced by the interferometer are separated by 0.5 mm and the distance between the mirrors is 1 m, what is the wavelength of the light source?

Accepted Answer

500 nm

Answer

250 nm

Answer

1000 nm

Answer

2000 nm

Question 24

Which of the following is a key assumption of geometrical optics?

Accepted Answer

Light travels in straight lines in a homogeneous medium.

Answer

Light can be diffracted around small obstacles.

Answer

Light is a wave phenomenon.