Revision Notes for Class 8 Science Chapter 10: Light: Mirrors and Lenses

Condensed revision notes for Class 8 Science Chapter 10: Light: Mirrors and Lenses – Curiosity textbook. These Class 8 Science Chapter 10 notes are ideal for quick revision just before exams.

Last Updated: September 23, 2026

• Laws of reflection: angle of incidence = angle of reflection; incident ray, reflected ray and normal all lie in the same plane. These laws hold for plane and spherical (concave/convex) mirrors alike.
• Plane mirror: forms a virtual, erect, same-size image; image distance behind the mirror = object distance in front of it.
• Concave mirror: curves inward; can form real or virtual images, enlarged or diminished, depending on object distance. Used in shaving/makeup mirrors, dentist’s mirrors, torches, headlight reflectors.
• Convex mirror: curves outward; always forms a virtual, erect, diminished image with a wider field of view than a plane mirror. Used in vehicle side mirrors and shop security mirrors.
• Convex mirror image size: increases as the object moves closer to the mirror (though always remains smaller than the object).
• Convex lens (converging): thicker at the centre; converges light. Can form a magnified virtual image (object close — magnifying glass) or a real, often inverted image (object farther away — camera, projector).
• Concave lens (diverging): thinner at the centre; diverges light. Always forms a virtual, erect, diminished image, regardless of object distance. Used to correct myopia (short-sightedness).
• Refraction: bending of light as it passes from one medium to another due to a change in speed — e.g. a pencil looks bent at a water surface, and a pool looks shallower than it really is.
• Everyday uses of lenses: eyeglasses, cameras, microscopes, telescopes, projectors, magnifying glasses, door peepholes.

More on this chapter: Solutions | Extra Questions | Class 8 Science Book | Formulas/Concepts Handbook

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the key difference between a real image and a virtual image?
A real image is formed when light rays actually converge at a point and can be captured on a screen, while a virtual image is formed when light rays appear to diverge from a point but do not actually meet there, so it cannot be captured on a screen.

What is the difference between a convex lens and a concave lens?
A convex lens is thicker at the centre than at the edges and converges light rays passing through it, while a concave lens is thinner at the centre than at the edges and diverges light rays passing through it.

Written by Satish

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