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Diffraction and Polarisation of Light — NEET Physics PYQ MCQs with Solutions

Free NEET Physics PYQ Diffraction and Polarisation of Light MCQs with step-by-step solutions (13 questions). Part of Wave Optics. Practise online on Prepizo — no login needed.

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Questions with solutions

Q1 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · numerical
Assume that, light of wavelength 600 nm is coming from a star. The limit of resolution of telescope whose objective has a diameter of 2 m is
A. $1.83 \times 10^{-7}$ rad
B. $7.32 \times 10^{-7}$ rad
C. $6.00 \times 10^{-7}$ rad
D. $3.66 \times 10^{-7}$ rad  ✓ Correct
Solution: Limit of resolution of a telescope: $d\theta = \frac{1.22\lambda}{d} = \frac{1.22 \times 600 \times 10^{-9}}{2} = 3.66 \times 10^{-7}$ rad
Q2 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · theory
The Brewster's angle $i_b$ for an interface should be
A. $30° < i_b < 45°$
B. $45° < i_b < 90°$  ✓ Correct
C. $i_b = 90°$
D. $0° < i_b < 30°$
Solution: The Brewster's angle for an interface satisfies $\tan i_b = \mu$. Since $\mu > 1$ for any denser medium, $i_b$ lies between 45° and 90°.
Q3 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · numerical
Angular width of the central maxima in the Fraunhoffer diffraction for $\lambda = 6000$ Å is $\theta_0$. When the same slit is illuminated by another monochromatic light, the angular width decreases by 30%. The wavelength of this light is
A. 1800 Å
B. 4200 Å  ✓ Correct
C. 6000 Å
D. 420 Å
Solution: Angular width of central maximum: $2\theta = \frac{2\lambda}{a}$, so $\theta \propto \lambda$ (slit width constant). New angular width $= 0.7\theta_0$, so $\lambda_2 = 0.7 \times \lambda_1 = 0.7 \times 6000 = 4200$ Å
Q4 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · theory
An astronomical refracting telescope will have large angular magnification and high angular resolution, when it has an objective lens of
A. large focal length and large diameter  ✓ Correct
B. large focal length and small diameter
C. small focal length and large diameter
D. small focal length and small diameter
Solution: Angular magnification $M = \frac{f_0}{f_e}$ — for large magnification the objective should have a large focal length $f_0$. Angular resolution $R = \frac{a}{1.22\lambda}$ — for high resolution the objective should have a large diameter a. Hence the objective lens should have a large focal length and a large diameter.
Q5 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · theory
Unpolarised light is incident from air on a plane surface of a material of refractive index $\mu$. At a particular angle of incidence i, it is found that the reflected and refracted rays are perpendicular to each other. Which of the following options is correct for this situation?
A. $i = \sin^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{\mu}\right)$
B. Reflected light is polarised with its electric vector perpendicular to the plane of incidence  ✓ Correct
C. Reflected light is polarised with its electric vector parallel to the plane of incidence
D. $i = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{\mu}\right)$
Solution: When the reflected and refracted rays are perpendicular to each other, the angle of incidence is the Brewster's angle ($\tan i = \mu$, not $\tan i = 1/\mu$). At this angle the reflected light is completely plane polarised, with its electric vector perpendicular to the plane of incidence.
Q6 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · numerical
The ratio of resolving powers of an optical microscope for two wavelengths $\lambda_1 = 4000$ Å and $\lambda_2 = 6000$ Å is
A. 8 : 27
B. 9 : 4
C. 3 : 2  ✓ Correct
D. 16 : 81
Solution: Resolving power of a microscope $\propto \frac{1}{\lambda}$ $\frac{RP_1}{RP_2} = \frac{\lambda_2}{\lambda_1} = \frac{6000}{4000} = \frac{3}{2}$
Q7 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · numerical
Two polaroids $P_1$ and $P_2$ are placed with their axis perpendicular to each other. Unpolarised light $I_0$ is incident on $P_1$. A third polaroid $P_3$ is kept in between $P_1$ and $P_2$ such that its axis makes an angle 45° with that of $P_1$. The intensity of transmitted light through $P_2$ is
A. $\frac{I_0}{2}$
B. $\frac{I_0}{4}$
C. $\frac{I_0}{8}$  ✓ Correct
D. $\frac{I_0}{16}$
Solution: After $P_1$: $I_1 = \frac{I_0}{2}$ After $P_3$ (at 45° to $P_1$): $I_2 = \frac{I_0}{2}\cos^2 45° = \frac{I_0}{4}$ After $P_2$ (at 45° to $P_3$): $I_3 = \frac{I_0}{4}\cos^2 45° = \frac{I_0}{8}$
Q8 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · numerical
In a diffraction pattern due to a single slit of width a, the first minimum is observed at an angle 30° when light of wavelength 5000 Å is incident on the slit. The first secondary maximum is observed at an angle of
A. $\sin^{-1}\left(\frac{2}{3}\right)$
B. $\sin^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)$
C. $\sin^{-1}\left(\frac{3}{4}\right)$  ✓ Correct
D. $\sin^{-1}\left(\frac{1}{4}\right)$
Solution: First minimum: $a\sin 30° = \lambda \Rightarrow a = 2\lambda$ First secondary maximum: $a\sin\theta_1 = \frac{3\lambda}{2}$ $\sin\theta_1 = \frac{3\lambda}{2a} = \frac{3\lambda}{4\lambda} = \frac{3}{4}$ $\theta_1 = \sin^{-1}\left(\frac{3}{4}\right)$
Q9 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · numerical
A linear aperture whose width is 0.02 cm is placed immediately in front of a lens of focal length 60 cm. The aperture is illuminated normally by a parallel beam of wavelength $5 \times 10^{-5}$ cm. The distance of the first dark band of the diffraction pattern from the centre of the screen is
A. 0.10 cm
B. 0.25 cm
C. 0.20 cm
D. 0.15 cm  ✓ Correct
Solution: The first minimum is formed at a distance $Y = \frac{\lambda D}{a}$, where D is the focal length of the lens. $Y = \frac{(5 \times 10^{-5}) \times 60}{0.02} = 0.15$ cm
Q10 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · theory
For a parallel beam of monochromatic light of wavelength $\lambda$, diffraction is produced by a single slit whose width a is of the order of the wavelength of the light. If D is the distance of the screen from the slit, the width of the central maxima will be
A. $\frac{2D\lambda}{a}$  ✓ Correct
B. $\frac{D\lambda}{a}$
C. $\frac{Da}{\lambda}$
D. $\frac{2Da}{\lambda}$
Solution: For the first minimum, $\sin\theta = \frac{\lambda}{a}$, and for small angles $\sin\theta = \frac{Y}{D}$ $Y = \frac{\lambda D}{a}$ Width of central maximum $= 2Y = \frac{2\lambda D}{a}$
Q11 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · theory
At the first minimum adjacent to the central maximum of a single slit diffraction pattern, the phase difference between the Huygen's wavelet from the edge of the slit and the wavelet from the midpoint of the slit is
A. $\frac{\pi}{4}$ radian
B. $\frac{\pi}{2}$ radian
C. $\pi$ radian  ✓ Correct
D. $\frac{\pi}{8}$ radian
Solution: For the first minimum, $a\sin\theta = \lambda$. The path difference between the wavelet from the edge and from the midpoint of the slit is $\frac{a}{2}\sin\theta = \frac{\lambda}{2}$ Phase difference $= \frac{2\pi}{\lambda} \times \frac{\lambda}{2} = \pi$ rad
Q12 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · numerical
A beam of light of $\lambda = 600$ nm from a distant source falls on a single slit 1 mm wide and the resulting diffraction pattern is observed on a screen 2 m away. The distance between first dark fringes on either side of the central bright fringe is
A. 1.2 cm
B. 1.2 mm
C. 2.4 cm
D. 2.4 mm  ✓ Correct
Solution: The distance between the first dark fringes on either side is the width of the central maximum: $x = \frac{2\lambda D}{a} = \frac{2 \times 600 \times 10^{-9} \times 2}{10^{-3}} = 2.4 \times 10^{-3}$ m $= 2.4$ mm
Q13 — Diffraction and Polarisation of Light · medium · numerical
The angular resolution of a 10 cm diameter telescope at a wavelength of 5000 Å is of the order of
A. $10^6$ rad
B. $10^{-2}$ rad
C. $10^{-4}$ rad
D. $10^{-6}$ rad  ✓ Correct
Solution: Angular resolution of a telescope: $= \frac{1.22\lambda}{d} = \frac{1.22 \times 5000 \times 10^{-10}}{10 \times 10^{-2}} = 6.1 \times 10^{-6} \approx 10^{-6}$ rad