
In JEE Physics, one of the most scoring subjects is Optics. It is divided into two parts: Ray Optics (Geometrical Optics) and Wave Optics. The important chapters of the Ray and Wave Optics are the Reflection of light, Refraction of light, Dispersion of light, Optical instruments, Huygens principle and interference of light and Diffraction and polarisation of light. Students who will be appearing in JEE Main 2026 should practice solving examples from this part, as it can help them achieve a good score. The solved examples will be helpful for you all during your JEE Main 2026 preparation. You can find the questions and answers on Ray and Wave Optics in this article.
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JEE Main 2026 Ray and Wave Optics Practice Sets with Soutions
You can find below some of the Ray and Wave Optics solved examples.
Question 1. A ray of light is incident on a plane mirror at an angle of incidence of 30°. Find the angle between the incident and reflected rays.
Solution
Angle between incident and reflected rays = 2i = 2 × 30° = 60°
Answer: 60°
Question 2. An object is placed 20 cm in front of a concave mirror of focal length 10 cm. Find the image distance.
Solution
Step 1: 1/f = 1/v + 1/u
Step 2: 1/10 =1/v + 1/-20
Step 3: 1/v = 1/10 + 1/20 = 3/20
Step 4: v = 20/3 = 6.67 cm
Answer: 6.67 cm
Question 3: Two coherent sources produce interference with a wavelength of 600 nm. Path difference is 1800 nm. Find the nature of the interference.
Solution
Path difference = nλ = 3λ ⇒ Constructive
Answer:
Bright fringe
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JEE Main 2026 Chapterwise Ray and Wave Optics Solved Examples PDF Link
Download the chapter-wise practice sets for Ray and Wave Optics with solutions in the PDF here:
Ray and Wave Optics Weightage and Key Areas for JEE Main 2026
The Optics chapter in JEE Main Physics is a part of the first section. Before you start solving the examples, have a look at the weightage and syllabus of this section.
Topics | Weightage |
|---|---|
Waves and Optics | 15% |
Find below the important topics from Optics chapter to prepare for JEE Main 2026:
Chapter | Important Topics |
|---|---|
Optics |
|
Quick Links:
| JEE Main 2026 Syllabus | JEE Main Previous Year Question Papers with Solutions PDF |
|---|
Tips for Solving Ray and Wave Optics Questions for JEE Main 2026
Take a quick look at some of the tips that will help you solve Ray and Wave Optics questions:
Understand Reflection and refraction, Snell’s law, Total internal reflection (TIR), Interference, diffraction, and polarisation.
You can learn and remember key formulas.
Practice drawing mirror and lens ray diagrams, like concave, convex, plane mirrors, etc.
Solve different types of questions like Conceptual (qualitative) and Formula-based (quantitative).
Solve previous year papers or mock tests.
You may find the questions from this part to be difficult, but if your basics are clear, it will be easy for you to solve the questions. Try practising as many examples as possible and understand the chapters that you find easy.
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| JEE Main 2026 Important Chapters to Score 220+ Marks | How to Score 90 percentile in JEE Main 2026? |
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FAQs
Common errors include wrong sign convention, incorrect application of lens/mirror formulas, and misunderstanding coherent sources in interference problems.
The examples are designed to strengthen fundamentals and are aligned with exam patterns of JEE, NEET, and other entrance tests.
Key topics include reflection, refraction, lens and mirror formulas, focal length, and optical instruments like microscopes and telescopes.
Solved examples help students apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems, improving conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills for exams like JEE, NEET, etc.
Ray optics (or geometrical optics) deals with light as straight rays and explains reflection and refraction, while wave optics explains phenomena like interference, diffraction, and polarisation that require the wave nature of light.
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