ROUTERA


Wave Optics

Class 12th Physics Chapter Assertion and Reason


Assertion and Reason Questions Chapter-10 Wave Optics

Assertion (A) and other labelled Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the options as given below.

A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

B. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.

C. A is true, but R is false.

D. A is false, but R is true.


1. Assertion (A): Light behaves as a wave when it passes through a narrow slit.

Reason (R): The wave nature of light causes it to spread out after passing through a slit.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The wave nature of light leads to diffraction, which causes it to spread out after passing through a narrow slit.

2. Assertion (A): Young's double-slit experiment demonstrates the interference of light.

Reason (R): Interference occurs due to the superposition of waves from two coherent sources.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Young's double-slit experiment shows how two coherent light waves interfere to produce a pattern of bright and dark fringes.

3. Assertion (A): The condition for constructive interference is that the path difference between two waves must be an integer multiple of the wavelength.

Reason (R): This condition results in waves reinforcing each other at points of overlap.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Constructive interference occurs when the path difference is an integer multiple of the wavelength, leading to an increase in amplitude at those points.

4. Assertion (A): The width of the central maximum in a single-slit diffraction pattern is larger than that of the subsequent maxima.

Reason (R): The intensity of light decreases as the distance from the central maximum increases.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The central maximum is wider due to the constructive interference of more light waves, while subsequent maxima are narrower and dimmer.

5. Assertion (A): The angle of diffraction increases as the width of the slit decreases.

Reason (R): A narrower slit causes more spreading of the wavefront.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: A narrower slit leads to greater diffraction, which increases the angle of spreading.

6. Assertion (A): Diffraction is more pronounced when the size of the obstacle is comparable to the wavelength of the wave.

Reason (R): The wavefront interacts significantly with obstacles of similar size, leading to greater bending.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: When the obstacle size is similar to the wavelength, the wavefront experiences significant interaction, resulting in pronounced diffraction effects.

7. Assertion (A): Polarized light has electric field vibrations in a single plane.

Reason (R): Natural light consists of waves vibrating in multiple planes.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Polarization restricts the electric field vibrations of light waves to a single plane, unlike unpolarized light, which vibrates in multiple planes.

8. Assertion (A): The intensity of light in an interference pattern is maximum at points of constructive interference.

Reason (R): Maximum intensity occurs where the waves are in phase.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: At points of constructive interference, the waves reinforce each other because they are in phase, resulting in maximum intensity.

9. Assertion (A): The fringe width in a double-slit experiment is directly proportional to the distance between the slits.

Reason (R): Wider slit separation increases the path difference between light waves.

  • (b) A is true, but R is false.
  • Answer: (b)
    Explanation: While the fringe width increases with slit separation, R is incorrect because the path difference does not directly depend on slit width; it depends on distance to the screen.

10. Assertion (A): In a diffraction pattern, the first minimum occurs at an angle related to the wavelength and slit width.

Reason (R): The first minimum is produced when the path difference is equal to the wavelength.

  • (b) A is true, but R is false.
  • Answer: (b)
    Explanation: The first minimum occurs at a path difference of \(\frac{1}{2}\)​ wavelength, making R incorrect.

11. Assertion (A): Coherent sources of light are essential for producing an interference pattern.

Reason (R): Coherent sources maintain a constant phase relationship, allowing for stable interference.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Coherent sources emit light waves with a constant phase difference, essential for creating a stable interference pattern.

12. Assertion (A): The phenomenon of interference can occur with both light and sound waves.

Reason (R): Both light and sound exhibit wave properties, allowing for interference effects.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Since both light and sound are waves, they can undergo interference, resulting in observable patterns.

13. Assertion (A): A diffraction grating produces more distinct patterns than a double slit.

Reason (R): A diffraction grating has more slits, leading to better separation of wavelengths.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The multiple slits in a diffraction grating enhance the interference effect, resulting in sharper and more defined patterns.

14. Assertion (A): The critical angle for total internal reflection depends on the refractive indices of the two media involved.

Reason (R): The critical angle is defined as the angle of incidence that produces an angle of refraction of 90 degrees.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The critical angle is derived from Snell's law and is influenced by the refractive indices of the media.

15. Assertion (A): A lens can produce both real and virtual images.

Reason (R): The type of image formed by a lens depends on the position of the object relative to the lens's focal point.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The position of the object in relation to the focal point determines whether a lens produces a real or virtual image.

16. Assertion (A): Light can be polarized using a polarizing filter.

Reason (R): A polarizing filter allows only light waves vibrating in a particular direction to pass through.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Polarizing filters block waves vibrating in all but one plane, resulting in polarized light.

17. Assertion (A): The fringe width in a double-slit experiment decreases with increasing distance between the slits.

Reason (R): As the slit distance increases, the path difference becomes less significant.

  • (b) A is false, but R is true.
  • Answer: (b)
    Explanation: The fringe width actually increases with greater slit separation, making A false.

18. Assertion (A): Light waves can interfere with each other to produce dark regions on a screen.

Reason (R): Dark regions are caused by destructive interference of light waves.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Destructive interference occurs when waves are out of phase, resulting in dark regions.

19. Assertion (A): In a single-slit diffraction pattern, the intensity at the center maximum is greater than at the first minimum.

Reason (R): Intensity decreases as one moves away from the center of the pattern.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The central maximum has the highest intensity, and intensity decreases toward the minima.

20. Assertion (A): The diffraction pattern of a single slit consists of a central maximum and several smaller maxima on either side.

Reason (R): The central maximum is wider due to the larger number of waves contributing to it.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The central maximum is the result of constructive interference from multiple waves, making it wider.

21. Assertion (A): The wavelength of light affects the angle of diffraction in a single-slit experiment.

Reason (R): Longer wavelengths produce greater angles of diffraction compared to shorter wavelengths.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Longer wavelengths lead to larger diffraction angles due to the nature of wave behavior.

22. Assertion (A): The refractive index of a medium is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to the speed of light in the medium.

Reason (R): A higher refractive index indicates that light travels slower in that medium compared to vacuum.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The refractive index is a measure of how much light slows down in a medium compared to vacuum.

23. Assertion (A): A converging lens can produce a virtual image.

Reason (R): Virtual images are formed when the object is located within the focal length of the lens.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: When an object is within the focal length of a converging lens, it produces a virtual image.

24. Assertion (A): The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection according to the law of reflection.

Reason (R): This law applies to all types of waves, including light and sound.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection for all wave types.

25. Assertion (A): Light can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties.

Reason (R): The dual nature of light is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Light behaves as both a wave and a particle (photon) in different contexts, illustrating its dual nature.

26. Assertion (A): The intensity of light decreases with distance from the source in an interference pattern.

Reason (R): Light spreads out as it moves away from the source, resulting in reduced intensity.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: As light travels away from the source, it spreads out over a larger area, decreasing intensity.

27. Assertion (A): A convex lens can converge parallel rays of light to a single point.

Reason (R): The point at which the rays converge is called the focal point of the lens.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: A convex lens focuses parallel rays of light to a single point known as the focal point.

28. Assertion (A): The phenomenon of total internal reflection occurs when light travels from a denser to a rarer medium.

Reason (R): Total internal reflection can only occur at angles greater than the critical angle.

  • (b) A is false, but R is true.
  • Answer: (b)
    Explanation: Total internal reflection occurs when light travels from a rarer to a denser medium; thus, A is false.

29. Assertion (A): The speed of light is constant in a vacuum but varies in different media.

Reason (R): The refractive index of a medium affects the speed of light passing through it.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The speed of light is constant in a vacuum but changes based on the refractive index of the medium.

30. Assertion (A): The diffraction pattern of a single slit has a larger central maximum compared to a double-slit pattern.

Reason (R): The single slit allows more light to interfere constructively at the center.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The single slit produces a wider central maximum due to the cumulative effect of light waves at that position.

31. Assertion (A): Light waves can exhibit polarization by reflection.

Reason (R): When light reflects off a surface, it can become partially or fully polarized depending on the angle of incidence.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Light reflecting off surfaces can become polarized, particularly at Brewster's angle.

32. Assertion (A): A beam of white light can produce a spectrum when passed through a prism.

Reason (R): Different wavelengths of light refract at different angles when passing through a prism.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The varying degrees of refraction for different wavelengths lead to the separation of colors in a spectrum.

33. Assertion (A): Diffraction effects are more noticeable for sound waves than for light waves.

Reason (R): Sound waves have longer wavelengths compared to visible light.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Longer wavelengths of sound waves lead to more pronounced diffraction effects than shorter wavelengths of light.

34. Assertion (A): The fringe width in a double-slit experiment can be calculated using the formula \(\frac {\lambda D}{d} \).

Reason (R): Here, \(\lambda \) is the wavelength, D is the distance to the screen, and ddd is the distance between the slits.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The formula for fringe width correctly expresses how the geometry of the setup influences the interference pattern.

35. Assertion (A): The intensity of light at any point in an interference pattern depends on the phase difference of the waves.

Reason (R): The phase difference determines whether the waves interfere constructively or destructively.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The phase difference is critical in determining whether light waves will enhance or cancel each other at a given point.

36. Assertion (A): Diffraction gratings are used to separate different wavelengths of light effectively.

Reason (R): The large number of slits in a diffraction grating allows for precise angle measurement of different wavelengths.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The multitude of slits in a diffraction grating enhances the resolution and precision of wavelength separation.

37. Assertion (A): The path difference in an interference pattern must be equal to \(\frac{\lambda}{2}\)​ for destructive interference to occur.

Reason (R): This condition results in the two waves being out of phase.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: A path difference of \(\frac{\lambda}{2}\)​ ensures that the waves arrive out of phase, causing destructive interference.

38. Assertion (A): Light can be diffracted even by small obstacles.

Reason (R): The diffraction effect is more pronounced when the size of the obstacle is close to the wavelength of the light.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Small obstacles create significant diffraction effects when their size approaches that of the wavelength.

39. Assertion (A): A concave mirror can form both real and virtual images.

Reason (R): The type of image depends on the position of the object relative to the focal point.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Depending on the object's position relative to the focal point, concave mirrors can produce either real or virtual images.

40. Assertion (A): The diffraction pattern produced by a single slit is characterized by a central maximum and multiple minima.

Reason (R): The minima occur due to destructive interference of light waves.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The minima in a single slit diffraction pattern result from the condition for destructive interference.

41. Assertion (A): The phenomenon of interference can occur with sound waves as well as light waves.

Reason (R): Interference is a general property of all wave phenomena.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Interference is a characteristic of waves in general, thus applicable to both sound and light waves.

42. Assertion (A): The speed of light in a medium can be calculated using the refractive index.

Reason (R): The refractive index is the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to that in the medium.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The relationship between the speed of light, refractive index, and the medium allows for calculations of light speed in that medium.

43. Assertion (A): White light can be separated into its constituent colors using a prism.

Reason (R): Different colors of light have different refractive indices when passing through a prism.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The varying refractive indices for different colors lead to the separation of white light into a spectrum.

44. Assertion (A): The angular width of the central maximum in a single-slit diffraction pattern increases with increasing slit width.

Reason (R): A wider slit allows more light to pass through, which affects the angular width of the central maximum.

  • (b) A is false, but R is true.
  • Answer: (b)
    Explanation: A wider slit results in a narrower central maximum; therefore, A is false.

45. Assertion (A): Light waves can interfere constructively at certain points in an interference pattern.

Reason (R): Constructive interference occurs when the path difference between two waves is an integer multiple of the wavelength.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The condition for constructive interference is satisfied at points where the path difference is an integer multiple of the wavelength.

46. Assertion (A): The intensity of the light at the minima in an interference pattern is zero.

Reason (R): At the minima, destructive interference occurs due to the cancellation of waves.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: Destructive interference leads to cancellation of waves, resulting in zero intensity at the minima.

47. Assertion (A): A laser beam can produce a clearer interference pattern than light from a regular bulb.

Reason (R): Laser light is coherent, while light from a bulb is incoherent.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The coherence of laser light allows for clear interference patterns, unlike the incoherence of bulb light.

48. Assertion (A): The intensity of the central maximum in a double-slit experiment is greater than the intensity of the first-order maxima.

Reason (R): More waves contribute to the central maximum compared to the first-order maxima.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: The central maximum is due to the constructive interference of more waves, resulting in higher intensity.

49. Assertion (A): The critical angle is a property of a given medium.

Reason (R): The critical angle depends on the refractive indices of both the medium and the surrounding environment.

  • (b) A is false, but R is true.
  • Answer: (b)
    Explanation: The critical angle is defined only for the interface between two media, making A false.

50. Assertion (A): Light waves can exhibit diffraction when they pass through small openings.

Reason (R): The amount of diffraction increases as the size of the opening decreases relative to the wavelength of light.

  • (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
  • Answer: (a)
    Explanation: As the opening size approaches the wavelength of light, diffraction becomes more pronounced.