Find out, from the table, the medium having the highest optical density. Also, find the medium with the lowest optical density.
ScienceClass 10CBSEAnswered 27 Mar 2026
Answer
|
Material medium |
Refractive index |
Material medium |
Refractive index |
|
Air |
1.0003 |
Canada Balsam |
1.53 |
|
Ice |
1.31 |
– |
– |
|
Water |
1.33 |
Rock salt |
1.54 |
|
Alcohol |
1.36 |
– |
– |
|
Kerosene |
1.44 |
Carbon disulphide |
1.63 |
|
Fused quartz |
1.46 |
Dense flint glass |
1.65 |
|
Turpentine oil |
1.47 |
Ruby |
1.71 |
|
Benzene |
1.50 |
Sapphire |
1.77 |
|
Crown glass |
1.52 |
Diamond |
2.42 |
Answer-
Lowest optical density = Air
Highest optical density = Diamond
The optical density of a medium is directly related to its refractive index. A medium with the highest refractive index will have the highest optical density and vice-versa.
It can be observed from the table that air and diamond, respectively have the lowest and highest refractive index. Hence, air has the lowest optical density and diamond has the highest optical density.
Suggested Q&A
Science · Class 10- ScienceClass 10Define power of a lens. What is its unit? One student uses a lens of focal length 50 cm and another of – 50 cm. What is the nature of the lens and its power used by each of them?
- ScienceClass 10Size of image of an object by a mirror having a focal length of 20 cm is observed to be reduced to 1/3rd of its size. At what distance the object has been placed from the mirror? What is the nature of the image and the mirror?
- ScienceClass 10Find the power of a concave lens of focal length 2 m.
- ScienceClass 10Define 1 dioptre of power of a lens.
- ScienceClass 10The refractive index of diamond is 2.42. What is the meaning of this statement?
- ScienceClass 10You are given kerosene, turpentine and water. In which of these does the light travel fastest? Use the information given in the table.
- ScienceClass 10Light enters from air to glass, having a refractive index 1.50. What is the speed of light in the glass? The speed of light in vacuum is 3 x 108 ms-1.
- ScienceClass 10A ray of light travelling in air enters obliquely into water. Does the light ray bend towards the normal or away from the normal? Why?
- ScienceClass 10Find the focal length of a convex mirror whose radius of curvature is 32 cm.
- ScienceClass 10Why do we prefer a convex mirror as a rear-view mirror in vehicles?