Light

MAY 2002 1 Alpha-particles, beta-particles, gamma-rays and infra-red radiation may all be emitted from a solid. Which of these are included in the electromagnetic spectrum? A B C D 2 alpha-particles and beta-particles alpha-particles and gamma-rays beta-particles and infra-red radiation gamma-rays and infra-red radiation

The image of a clock face as seen in a plane mirror is shown.

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What is the actual time on the clock? A 1.25 B 1.35 C 10.25 D 10.35

NOVEMBER 2002

One of the effects of passing a ray of white light through a prism is to split the light into colours.

prism

white light coloured light What is the name given to this effect? A B C D deviation dispersion reflection refraction

A student looks at the letter P on a piece of paper, and at its reflection in a mirror. What does he see? A mirror B C mirror D

paper

paper

MAY 2003

Which statement is correct about the speed of electromagnetic waves in a vacuum? A B C D Ultra-violet waves have the greatest speed. Visible light waves have the greatest speed. Infra-red waves have the greatest speed. All electromagnetic waves have the same speed.

Which diagram correctly shows rays passing through a camera lens? A camera film object lens image object lens image B camera film

camera film

camera film

object lens image

object lens image

NOVEMBER 2003

Which diagram correctly shows the paths taken by red and blue light when a beam of white light enters a glass prism? A red blue B blue red

white light

white light

C blue red

D red blue

white light

white light

Which diagram shows the correct order of the waves in the electromagnetic spectrum? visible infra radio red A increasing wavelength visible ultra radio violet B increasing wavelength visible ultra X-ray violet C increasing wavelength visible infra X-ray red D increasing wavelength
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ultra violet

X-ray

infra red

X-ray

infra red

radio

ultra violet

radio

MAY 2004
9 A plane mirror is on a wall. Which is a correct description of the image formed by the mirror? A B C D the right way up and smaller than the object the right way up and the same size as the object upside down and smaller than the object upside down and the same size as the object

10 The diagram shows a ray of light entering a block of glass.

normal ray of light 2 air glass 1 3 4

Which numbered angles are the angles of incidence and of refraction? angle of incidence A B C D 1 1 2 2 angle of refraction 3 4 3 4

11 Three rays of light fall on a converging lens as shown.

lens

Which diagram shows the path of the rays after passing through the lens?

12 Which type of wave cannot travel through a vacuum? A B C D infra-red radiation microwaves sound waves X-rays

NOVEMBER 2004
13 Which type of radiation lies between visible light and microwaves in the electromagnetic spectrum? A B C D infra-red radio waves ultra-violet X-rays

14 The critical angle for a glass / air boundary is C. Which diagram shows the correct path of the light ray?
A B C D

air glass C

air glass C

air glass C

air glass C

15 The diagram shows the image of a clockface in a plane mirror.

Which of these times is shown? A 02.25 B 02.35 C 09.25 D 09.35

MAY 2005
16 Which diagram correctly shows a ray of light passing through a rectangular glass block?

17 The ray diagram shows how an image is formed by a converging lens.

24 cm

10 cm

8 cm

What is the focal length of this lens? A 8 cm B 10 cm C 18 cm D 24 cm

NOVEMBER 2005

18 A ray of light passes from glass into air at an angle of incidence of 40o. The glass has a critical angle of 42 o. Which diagram shows what happens to the ray?

air glass 40o

air glass 40o

air glass 40o

air glass 40o

19 Rays of light enter and leave a box.

ray 1 ray 1 ray 2 ray 2

What could be inside the box to make the rays behave as shown? A B C D a converging lens a parallel-sided glass block a plane mirror a triangular prism

20 A thin converging lens is used to produce, on a screen, a focused image of a candle. screen image lens

candle

The screen and the lens are moved back and forth and various focused images are produced on the screen. Which statement is always true? A B C D The image is at the principal focus (focal point) of the lens. The image is bigger than the object. The image is closer to the lens than the object is. The image is inverted.

MAY 2006

21 A ray of light passes through a window. Which path does it take?

air glass air A B C D

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22 The diagram shows the image of a clock in a plane mirror.

What time is shown? A 02:25 B 02:35 C 09:25 D 09:35

NOVEMBER 2006

23 A parallel beam of light falls on a converging lens. Which diagram shows what happens to the beam of light?
A B C D

24 The image of a clock face as seen in a plane mirror is shown.

21

6
What is the time on the clock? A 1.25 B 1.35 C 10.25 D 10.35

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MAY 2007

25 A man sees a stone at the bottom of a pool of water. Which path could be taken by light from the stone to the man?

man

A air water

stone

26 A ray of light is reflected by two parallel plane mirrors X and Y.

mirror X 30

mirror Y

Which statement is correct? A B C D The angle of incidence at mirror X is 30. The angle of incidence at mirror Y is 60. The angle of reflection at mirror X is 120. The angle of reflection at mirror Y is 0.

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NOVEMBER 2007
27 A student shines a narrow beam of white light into a prism as shown in the diagram. He sees a spectrum of colours emerging from the prism.

narrow beam of white light

X Y Z

spectrum of colours

Which three colours does he see at X, at Y and at Z? X A B C D blue red red yellow Y yellow blue yellow red Z red yellow blue blue

28 An object placed in front of a plane mirror at O produces an image at I.

O

If the object moves towards the mirror in the direction shown by the arrow, in which direction does the image move?
O D C B

A I

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MAY 2008

29 Which diagram shows total internal reflection of light? A mirror B C glass prism D

30 Light from the Sun passes through a prism and a spectrum is produced on a screen.
screen

narrow slit light from the Sun P red violet

A thermometer placed at P shows a large temperature rise. Which type of radiation causes this? A B C D infra-red microwave ultra-violet visible light

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31 Two thin converging lenses X and Y are used as shown to give a focused image of an illuminated slit. The rays shown are parallel between X and Y.
X slit source of light Y image screen

30 cm

20 cm

15 cm

What are the correct values for the focal lengths of X and of Y? focal length of X / cm A B C D 50 30 30 20 focal length of Y / cm 35 20 15 20

NOVEMBER 2008
32 Which diagram shows the dispersion of white light?

A glass

B glass

white light

white light

C glass

D glass

white light

white light

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33 In the diagram, the distance OP is the focal length of the lens. Through which point will the ray shown pass, after refraction by the lens?
lens A

O focal length

P focal length

MAY 2009
34 Which diagram shows what happens when a ray of white light passes through a prism?

white light spectrum

white light

spectrum

C spectrum

white light

white light

spectrum

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35 The diagram shows the path of a ray of light passing through a principal focus F of a lens. Which broken line shows the direction of the ray after it leaves the lens?

lens

ray lig ht

of

A F F B

NOVEMBER 2009
36 A ray of light in glass is incident on a boundary with air. Which path does the ray of light take when the angle of incidence i is less than the critical angle?
A B air glass i

C D

ray of light

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37 An object O is placed in front of a converging lens of focal length f. At which point will the top of the image be seen?
A B O f f

C D

MAY 2010
38 The diagram shows a ray of light incident on the edge of a piece of glass. The angle i is bigger than the critical angle. Which arrow correctly shows the direction of the ray after it leaves the edge of the glass?

normal ray of light glass air A B i C D

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39 Which diagram correctly shows rays of light passing through a converging lens in a camera?
A camera B camera

object lens

image

object lens

image

C camera

D camera

object lens

image

object lens

image

NOVEMBER 2010

40 A girl writes the word LEFT on a piece of card.

LEFT
She looks at the image of this card, made by reflection by a plane mirror. What does she see?
A B C D

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41 A scientist is trying to direct a ray of light through a glass block without any light leaving the top of the block. However, some light does leave the top.
light leaving top top of block

glass block ray of light

The scientist changes angle X and stops the ray of light leaving the top. Which row in the table describes the change to angle X and the name of the effect produced? change to angle X A B C D decrease decrease increase increase name of effect produced total internal reflection total internal refraction total internal reflection total internal refraction

MAY 2011
42 The diagram shows the dispersion of white light by a glass prism.

white light glass prism

red light violet light

Why does dispersion occur when white light enters the glass? A B C D The frequency of red light decreases more than that of violet light. The frequency of violet light decreases more than that of red light. The speed of red light decreases more than that of violet light. The speed of violet light decreases more than that of red light.

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43 A thin converging lens is used to produce, on a screen, a focused image of a candle.

screen image lens

candle

Various focused images are produced on the screen by moving the lens and the screen backwards and forwards. Which statement is always correct? A B C D The image is at the principal focus (focal point) of the lens. The image is bigger than the object. The image is closer to the lens than the object is. The image is inverted.

NOVEMBER 2011

44 The diagram shows a ray of light travelling from X. Angle P is less than the critical angle. In which direction does the ray continue?
X

P glass air B D C A

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45 The diagram shows the image of a clock in a plane mirror.

What time is shown? A 02:25 B 02:35 C 09:25 D 09:35

MAY 2012
46 The image formed by a plane mirror is upright.

object

position of image

eye

What are the other characteristics of the image? laterally inverted (left to right) A B C D no yes yes yes magnified (larger than the object) yes no no yes virtual yes no yes no

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47 A student draws three rays of light from point P through a converging lens. Each point labelled F is a principal focus of the lens.

ray X

ray Z

ray Y

Which of the rays are drawn correctly? A B C D ray Y only ray Z only ray X and ray Y ray X and ray Z

48 A plane mirror is used to form an image of an object. At which labelled point is the image formed?

object

ray of light B plane mirror D C

49 A converging lens in a projector is used to make an enlarged image of a small piece of film on a screen. At which labelled point could the piece of film be placed so that the lens produces this image?

focal length of lens A B C D

converging lens

2 focal length of lens

screen

Light
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 D B B A D B D C B D 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 C C A C C A B A B D 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 C C D B B B C C C A 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 C C A D B B C D C B 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 C D D B C C C D C

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