NCERT Class 8 Science Curiosity (Sanskrit): Chapter 10 — अध्यायः १० प्रकाशः - दर्पणः काचाश्च
This NCERT Class 8 Science chapter, "प्रकाशः - दर्पणाः काचाश्च" (Light - Mirrors and Lenses), introduces students to the fascinating world of light and its interaction with mirrors. The chapter begins with thought-provoking questions about mirrors and their properties, setting the stage for exploration. A narrative describes a visit to a science center where a girl named Meena encounters various types of mirrors, including spherical ones, which create distorted or reduced images. The chapter explains that these are not plane mirrors but spherical mirrors, which can be concave or convex. Activity 10.1 guides students to use a shining metal spoon as a model to observe how curved surfaces reflect light and form images, differentiating between the inner (concave) and outer (convex) surfaces of the spoon. This chapter aims to build foundational understanding of reflection and image formation by curved mirrors, crucial for further study in optics within the CBSE curriculum.
Quick info
| Board | CBSE / NCERT |
|---|---|
| Class | Class 8 |
| Subject | Science |
| Book | Curiosity (Sanskrit) |
| Chapter | Chapter 10 — अध्यायः १० प्रकाशः - दर्पणः काचाश्च |
| Language | Sanskrit |
| PDF type | NCERT Textbook |
| Session | CBSE 2026 |
| Reading time | 2 minutes |
| Word count | 230 |
Learning outcomes
- Understand the properties of plane mirrors and the formation of images.
- Identify and differentiate between concave and convex spherical mirrors.
- Observe and describe image formation using curved surfaces like a spoon.
- Relate the curvature of a mirror to the characteristics of the image formed.
- Appreciate the role of mirrors in everyday life and science centers.
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| दर्पणानि | mirrors |
| वक्ररेखा | curved line/shape |
| समतल | plane |
| गोलाकाराणि | spherical |
| पृष्ठं | surface |
| प्रतिमा | image |
| आकारम् | size |
| व्युत्क्रमितम् | inverted |
| लघुतरम् | smaller |
| चकचकीतम् | shining/polished |
| धातुचमसः | metal spoon |
| आकृतिः | shape |
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Practice questions
- What is the difference between a plane mirror and a spherical mirror? Answer: A plane mirror has a flat reflecting surface, while a spherical mirror has a curved reflecting surface, being a part of a sphere.
- What are the two types of spherical mirrors? Answer: The two types of spherical mirrors are concave mirrors (curved inwards) and convex mirrors (curved outwards).
- How does the image appear when you look at the inner surface of a shining metal spoon? Answer: When looking at the inner surface of a shining metal spoon (concave), the image appears inverted and magnified when close, and may change with distance.
- How does the image appear when you look at the outer surface of a shining metal spoon? Answer: When looking at the outer surface of a shining metal spoon (convex), the image appears erect (upright) and diminished (smaller).
- Why is there a warning on vehicle side-view mirrors that "objects in mirror are closer than they appear"? Answer: This warning is on convex mirrors, which provide a wider field of view but make objects appear smaller and farther away than they actually are.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main topic of NCERT Class 8 Science Chapter 10?
The chapter "प्रकाशः - दर्पणाः काचाश्च" focuses on light, specifically the properties and image formation by different types of mirrors, including spherical ones.
What is a spherical mirror?
A spherical mirror is a mirror whose reflecting surface is a part of a sphere. It can be either concave or convex.
How can a spoon be used to understand curved mirrors?
The inner surface of a shining spoon acts like a concave mirror, and the outer surface acts like a convex mirror, allowing observation of image formation.
What is the difference between the images formed by the inner and outer surfaces of a spoon?
The inner surface (concave) can form inverted and magnified images, while the outer surface (convex) forms erect and diminished images.
Why are objects in side-view mirrors of vehicles closer than they appear?
Side-view mirrors are typically convex mirrors, which provide a wider field of view but make objects appear smaller and farther away.
What is the significance of the science center visit in the chapter?
The visit to the science center introduces Meena to various mirrors, sparking her curiosity about spherical mirrors and their unique properties.
Related resources
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Topics covered
NCERT Class 8 Science — Curiosity (Sanskrit) — Chapter 10 — अध्यायः १० प्रकाशः - दर्पणः काचाश्च. Verified by NCERT Help Editorial Team. Reviewed on 29 Jul 2026. Last updated 10 Aug 2026.