3 The Human Eye and

The Colourful World

Multiple choice questions (1 mark)

1. A person standing at point Y is watching a car coming from a point X to O as shown.

X O Y
The table shows the variation in the parts of eye while seeing the car at X and O.
(A) At X the focal length is higher than at O
(B) At O the focal length is higher than at X
(C) At X the ciliary muscle is thicker than at O
(D) At O the ciliary muscle is thicker than at X
Which change in the person’s eye would likely to occur while watching the car?
(1) B and D (2) A and D (3) A and C (D) B and C
Ans. Option (2)
While watching the car, changes in the persons eye would likely to be
(A) At X the focal length is higher than at O
(B) At O the ciliary muscle is thicker than at X
2. A normal eye can see objects clearly that are between
(1) our eye and infinity (2) 25 cm and infinity
(3) 50 cm an infinity (4) 100 cm and infinity
Ans. Option (2)
Near point of eye is 25 cm and far point is infinity.
Thus, normal eye can see objects clearly that are between 25 cm and infinity.
3. The crystalline lens of people at old age becomes milky and cloudy. This condition is called
(1) myopia (2) hypermetropia (3) presbyopia (4) cataract
Ans. Option (4)
The crystalline lens of people at old age becomes milky and cloudy. This condition is called
cataract.

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NCERT Course : Class 10
4. We can see a rainbow on a sunny day when you look at the sky through a waterfall or
through a water fountain
(1) with the Sun in front of you (2) with the Sun behind you
(3) with the Sun overhead (4) just after the sunset
Ans. Option (2)
Rainbows can only be seen in the sky when the sun is behind us.
5. The image distance from the eye lens in the normal eye when we increase the distance of
an object from the eye
(1) increases (2) decreases
(3) remains unchanged (4) depends on the size of the eyeball
Ans. Option (3)
There is no change in the image distance in the eye when we increase the distance of an
object from the eye.
6. The image below depicts light being split by a prism into different colours.
Window

Spectrum

Prism

Sunlight

This was first observed by Isaac Newton. What would this observation help us to
understand?
(1) the cause for sunspots (2) how X-rays are formed
(3) the cause for rainbows (4) how the Sun produces light
Ans. Option (3)
This observation results in formation of rainbows.
7. The sky appears dark to passengers flying at very high altitudes mainly because :
(1) Scattering of light is not enough at such heights
(2) There is no atmosphere at great heights.
(3) The size of molecules is smaller than the wavelength of visible light
(4) The light gets scattered towards the earth.
Ans. Option (1)
At a higher altitude, the atmosphere medium is very rarer so that scattering of light taking
place is very low.
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 Physics
8. Dispersion of light by glass prism takes place because
(1) the lights of different colours have different intensities
(2) the lights of different colours have different speed in a medium
(3) different colours have different frequencies
(4) the lights of different colours have different energies.
Ans. Option (2)
Dispersion of light by glass prism takes place because the lights of different colours have
different speed in a medium
9. Which of the following phenomena of light are involved in the formation of a rainbow?
(1) Reflection, refraction and dispersion
(2) Refraction, dispersion and total internal reflection
(3) Refraction, dispersion and internal reflection
(4) Dispersion, scattering and total internal reflection
Ans. Option (2)
Rainbow is produced after the rain, by reflection, dispersion and total internal reflection
process in droplets of water.
10. Which of the following statements is correct regarding the propagation of light of different
colours of white light in air?
(1) Red light moves fastest.
(2) Blue light travels faster than green light.
(3) All colours of white light move with the same speed.
(4) Yellow light moves with the mean speed as that of red and violet light.
Ans. Option (3)
Air is not a dispersive medium and hence the light of all wavelengths travel with equal
velocity.
11. The focal length of eye lens increases when eye muscles
(1) are relaxed and lens becomes thinner
(2) contract and lens becomes thicker
(3) are relaxed and lens becomes thicker
(4) contract and lens becomes thinner
Ans. Option (1)
When the muscles are relaxed, the lens becomes thin. Thus, its focal length increases.
12. The danger signals installed at the top of tall buildings are red in colour. These can be easily
seen from a distance because among all other colours, the red light
(1) is scattered the most by smoke or fog
(2) is scattered the least by smoke or fog
(3) is absorbed the most by smoke or fog
(4) move fastest in air
Ans. Option (2)
The red colour has largest wavelength thus it can be easily seen from a distance.
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NCERT Course : Class 10
Assertion and Reason questions
The following questions consist of two statements – Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer
these questions
(1) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(2) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(3) A is true but R is false.
(4) A is false but R is true.
13. Assertion (A) : White light is dispersed into its seven-colour components by a prism.
Reason (R) : Different colours of light bend through different angles with respect to the
incident ray as they pass through a prism.
Ans. Option (1)
White light is dispersed into its seven-colour components by a prism and different colours
of light bend through different angles with respect to the incident ray as they pass through
a prism.
14. Assertion (A) : Myopia is the defect of the eye in which only nearer objects are seen by the
eye.
Reason (R) : The eye ball is elongated.
Ans. Option (1)
Myopia is the defect of the eye in which only nearer objects are seen by the eye and the eye
ball is elongated.
15. Assertion (A) : The sky looks dark and black instead of blue in outer space.
Reason (R) : No atmosphere containing air in the outer space to scatter sunlight.
Ans. Option (1)
The sky looks dark and black instead of blue in outer space and No atmosphere containing
air in the outer space to scatter sunlight.
Very short answer type questions (1 mark)
16. Name the part of the human eye that helps in changing the focal length of the eye lens.
Ans. Ciliary muscles.
17. What is the range of vision of a normal human eye?
Ans. The range of vision of a normal human eye is 25 cm to infinity.
18. Name the part of the eye
(a) that controls the amount of light entering into the eye.
(b) that has real, inverted image of the object formed on it.
Ans. (a) Iris (b) Retina
19. Why is the refractive index of atmosphere different at different altitudes?
Ans. Refractive index is different at different altitudes due to difference of density (optical) of
the atmosphere.
20. Define the power of accommodation of human eye.
Ans. The ability of eye to see nearby as well as far off objects at the same time is called power of
accommodation.
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 Physics
21. What type of lens should be used to correct the presbyopia?
Ans. Bi-focal lens.

Convex lens

22. What is dispersion of light?

Ans. The splitting of light into its various components (i.e., 7 colours) is called dispersion of light.
23. Give one main difference between the lens of human eye and lens of camera.
Ans. Lens of human eye has flexible aperture, its focal length can be changed. In camera, focal
length can not be changed for a lens.
24. When a monochromatic light having only one wavelength, passes through a prism, will it
show dispersion?
Ans. No, it will not show dispersion. It will only show deviation.
25. Name the component of white light which deviates the least and the component that
deviates the most while passing through a glass prism.
Ans. Least deviated component : Red
Most deviated component : Violet
Short answer type questions (2 marks)
26. The image formed on retina is inverted but we see the object erect. Why?
Ans. The image formed on retina is inverted, this image is formed on the light sensitive cells
called rods and cones of the retina which generates electrical signals. This signal reaches
brain via optic nerve. It is the brain that interprets this image and while processing the
image it helps in perceiving objects as they are.
27. Why danger signals are red?
Ans. Danger signals are of red colour, as it scatters the least and can be seen from the maximum
distance.
28. Explain the phenomenon which causes twinkling of stars.
Ans. The phenomenon is atmospheric refraction. In this case the star are point source
illuminated objects which are very far from us when light travels through atmosphere it
bends, and due to this the amount of light entering the eye is different each time which
gives the twinkling effect. Apparent
29. Give reason for early sunrise and delayed sunset. position of sun
..... .......
.............
...................
Ans. Sun being far off, the light rays entering our eye .....
..... Horizon
..... .....
.....
gets refracted several times due to the .....
..... .....
.....
.....
..... .....
.....
atmosphere and the sunrise and sunset are seen .....
..... Earth .....
.....
.....
..... .....
..... Sun
to us for slight longer duration of time due to the .....
...... .....
.....
......... ......
.........
....................
................
bending of light, when the position of sun is ..........
below horizon.
Earth's atmosphere
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NCERT Course : Class 10
30. Why does the clear sky appear blue? How would the sky appear in the absence of earth's
atmosphere?
Ans. Blue colour of light has smaller wavelength, so it scatters more in upper layer of

atmosphere, in comparison to the other colours. Thus sky appears blue. The sky will
appear dark in the absence of earth's atmosphere.
31. Describe the formation of rainbow in the sky with the help of a diagram.

Ans. The rainbow is produced due to the dispersion of sunlight by tiny droplets of water
suspended in air, just after rain.

Sunlight
A
R

V
40°
42°

V
Raindrop

32. A person needs a lens of power –0.5 dioptre for correcting his distant vision. For correcting

his near vision he needs a lens of power + 1.5 dioptre. What is the focal length of the lens
required for correcting his (i) distant vision, (ii) near vision?
Ans. (i) Focal length of the lens required for distant vision,
1 1
f= = = –2 m = – 200 cm
P −0.5

(ii) Focal length of the lens required for near vision,

1 1
f= = = 0.67 m = 67 cm
P 1.5

33. What is night blindness and colour blindness?

Ans. When a person lacks rod cells in retina, he is not able to see the objects clearly in less/dim
light, such a defect is called night blindness.

When a person lacks of cone cells in retina, he is not able to see/distinguish between
different colours, such a defect of eye is called as colour blindness.

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 Physics
34. Give the difference between myopia and hypermetropia.
Ans. Difference between myopia and hypermetropia.
S.No. Myopia Hypermetropia
1 Short-sighted person can see nearby Long-sighted person can see far off
object but cannot see far off objects. objects but cannot see nearby objects.
2 Image is formed in front of retina. Image is formed beyond retina.

3 The size of eyeball increases. The size of eyeball decreases.

4 Focal length of eye lens decreases. Focal length of eye lens increases.

5 Corrected by using concave lens. Corrected by using convex lens.

35. In the given diagram label A, B, C and D and write down the function of B and D.

A C
D
B

Ans. A = Cornea
B = Ciliary muscles
C = Retina
D = Optic nerve
Function of B and D are:
B : Ciliary muscles : It helps in holding the eye lens and changing or adjusting the focal
length of the lens.
D : Optic nerve : It sends the electrical signal from retina to the brain.
Short answer type questions (3 marks)
36. A person cannot see objects farther than 12 m from the eye clearly. Name the, defect of
vision he is suffering from and the lens that should be used for correction of this defect.
Illustrate with the help of a diagram, how this lens will correct the defective vision.
Ans. Name of the defect of vision — Myopia (short sightedness).
Lens used for correction of this defect – Concave lens.

Image
N F2
Image of far off
object is formed at Concave
point N where the Lens
eye can see clearly

To enable such a person see the objects situated at infinity, a concave lens is used, so that
the image of the object is formed at the far-off point of clear vision. The focal length of
concave lens depends upon the degree of abnormality in the eye.
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NCERT Course : Class 10
37. A person cannot see objects less than 40 cm from his eyes clearly. Name the defect of vision
he is suffering from. Calculate the power of the lens he should use to read a book at 25 cm
distance from his eyes. Draw a ray diagram for correction of the defect using the lens
Ans. Name of the defect of vision – Hypermetropia
u = –25 cm (For normal eye)
v = – 40 cm
Image of the object
1 1 1 1 1 −5 + 8 3 situated at D
Now, = − = − − = =
f v u 40 −25 200 200
Clear
 Focal length of the lens N D F2 Image
200 200 1 2
= cm =  m= m
3 3 100 3 Convex
Lens
So, the power of the lens, Correction of the defect using the lens
1 1 3
P= = D = D = 1.5 D
f (in m) 2 / 3 2

Long answer type questions (5 marks)

38. (a) What is Myopia? State two causes of Myopia. With the help of a labelled ray diagram
show the correction of Myopia using appropriate lens.
(b) The near point of a hypermetropic eye is 1 m. Find the power of the lens required to
correct this defect. Assume that near point of the normal eye is 25 cm.
Ans. (a) Myopia : A person suffering from this defect can see nearer objects clearly, but cannot
see the far-off objects clearly.
Two causes of myopia :
(i) The ciliary muscles get weak.
(ii) The eye ball gets elongated.

Image
N F2
Image of far off
Object is formed at Concave
Point N where the Lens
Eye can see clearly
Correct myopic eye

(b) For the correction of hypermetropic eye,

u = –25 cm, v = –1 m = – 100 cm, f = ?
1 1 1 1 1 −1 + 4 3
= − =− − = =
f v u 100 −25 100 100
100 100 1
f= cm = m= m
3 3 100 3
1 1
Power of the lens, P = = = 3D
f (in m) 1/ 3

Thus, convex lens having power of 3D is used for the correction of hypermetropic eye.
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 Physics
39. A student finds the writing on the black board as blurred and unclear when sitting on the
last desk of the classroom. He however sees clearly when sitting on the front desk of an
approximate distance 2 m from the black board.

(a) Draw the ray diagram to illustrate the formation of image of the text written on the
black board by his eye lens when he sits at the :

(i) last desk (ii) front desk

(b) Name the defect of vision the student is suffering from. Also list two causes of this
defect.

(c) Name the kind of lens that would enable him to see clearly when he is seated at the last
desk. Draw the ray diagram to illustrate how this lens helps him to see clearly.

Ans. (a) (i) Parallel rays from distant object

Blurred
F2 Image
The myopic eye

(When student sits on last desk)

(ii)
Sharp
N F2 Image
Near point of clear vision

(When student sits on front desk)

(b) Defect of vision — myopia (Short-sightedness)

Two possible causes of this defect :

(i) Ciliary muscles get weak.

(ii) Eye ball gets elongated.

(c) Concave lens is used for the correction of myopic eye (seated at last desk)

Image
N F2
Image of far off
object is formed at Concave
point N where the Lens
eye can see clearly
Corrected myopic eye

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NCERT Course : Class 10
40. (i) What is the astigmatism? What causes astigmatism? How is astigmatism corrected?
(ii) Why does it take sometime to see objects in a dim room when you enter the room from
bright sunlight outside?
Ans. (i) In the defect of Astigmatism, a person cannot focus on both horizontal as well as vertical
lines at the same time. So he can see the objects clearly only in one plane. This defect is
mainly due to the cornea that is not perfectly spherical. As a result, the cornea has
different curvatures in different directions of the horizontal and vertical planes. This
defect can be correct by using cylindrical lenses of suitable focal length and suitable
axis in the spectacles.
(ii) In the bright sunlight, iris causes the pupil to become smaller so that only a small
portion of light enters the eye and rods of the retina are also adjusted in the same way.
But, when a person enters into a dimly lighted room, each iris takes some time to
increase the diameter of the pupil, so that more amount of light can enter the eyes to
see the object clearly and rod cells of the retina also take some time to adjust
themselves to get the picture of the object in the dim light.
Case Study/Source Based Question
4. Read the following passage. Answer the following questions.

The above images are of optical instruments. These instruments use a combination of lenses
which increases the sharpness of the image. The image produced by using a combination of
lenses is also free from many defects which otherwise occur while using a single lens.
(a) Alankarita was not able to see clearly so she went to an optician. The optician prescribes
the corrective lens +2.0 D and +2.5 D for the prescribed lenses diverging or converging?
(b) If the image formed by a lens for all positions of the object placed in front of it is always
virtual, erect and diminished, state the type of the lens. When a convex lens of power + 5D
is placed in contact with a concave lens of power –2D, what is the power of combination?
(c) At what distance from a concave lens of focal length 30 cm a 5 cm tall object be placed so
as to obtain its image at 20 cm from the lens? Also calculate the size of the image formed.
(d) A converging lens can form a magnified inverted image of an object as well as magnified
erect of an object placed infront of it. Draw ray diagram to justify this statement stating
the position of the object with respect to the lens in each case.

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 Physics
Ans. (a) For left eye
1
P = + 2.0D, f = ?, P =
f
1 100
f= ; f= = + 50cm
P +2.0
For right eye
P = +2.5D, f = ?
100
f= = + 40cm
2.5
The prescribed lenses for both the eyes are converging or convex as their power is
positive.
(b) The lens is concave lens or diverging lens as the image formed is virtual, erect and
magnified.
P1 = +5D; P2 = –2D
P = P1 + P2
= +5D – 2D = +3D
Thus, this combination would behave as a convex lens of power +3D.
(c) f = –30 cm; v = –20 cm; ho = 5 cm
1 1 1 1 1 1
Lens formula = – or = –
f v u u v f
1 1 1 1 –3 + 2
= – or + or
–20 –30 –20 30 60
–1
= cm
60
u = – 60 cm
v h
m= = i
u ho
v  ho
hi =
u
–20  5 100
= = = 1.67 cm
–60 60
Image formed is diminished and erect. A
(c) For magnified inverted image of an object-
B'
Position of object is between F and 2F a convex lens. 2F1 B F1 O F2 2F2
For magnified erect image of an object-Position of
object is between optical centre and F a convex lens. A'

A'
A
2F1 B' F1 B O F2 2F2

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NCERT Course : Class 10
5. Read the following passage. Answer the following questions.
Light spectrum is the many different wavelengths of energy product by light source. Light is
measured in nanometres (nm). Each nanometre represents a wavelength of light or band of
light energy. Visible light is the part of spectrum from 380 nm to 780 nm.
Isaac Newton was the first to use a glass prism to obtain the spectrum of sunlight. He tried to split
the colours of the spectrum of white light further by using another similar prism. He then placed
a second identical prism in an inverted position with respect to the first prism. This allowed all the
colours of the spectrum to pass through second prims. He found a beam of white light emerging
from the other side of a rainbow is a natural spectrum appearing in the sky after rain.

gammas ultraviolet infrared

x-rays radar FM TV shortwave AM
rays rays rays

VISIBLE LIGHT
500

600

780
300

400

700
Nanometers (nm)

P Q’ R’
S
Recombination

Dispersion

Q R P’ Screen
Spectrum
First prism Second prism

(a) What is the range of wavelength of visible light spectrum ?

(b) Why are different wavelengths of energy produced by light source when it passes
through the prism ?
(c) State the cause of dispersion of white light by a glass prism.
Ans. (a) For visible light spectrum range is 380 nm to 780 nm.
(b) The different colors of light have the different wavelengths.
(c) When white light passes through a glass prism, its constituents colours have different
wavelengths and speeds, bend or deviate at different angles due to which they get
separated for each other. This happens due to peculiar shape of prism that different
colours go in different directions.

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