Question

Statement I : A light ray follows rectilinear propagation even when it travels in different media.
Statement II : A light ray would always choose the shortest path to travel from one point to another.

• A. Both the statements are correct and statement II infers to statement I.
• B. Both the statements are correct but statement II doesn't infer to statement I.
• C. Both the statements are incorrect.
• D. Statement I is incorrect but statement II is correct.

Answer 1

The correct option is C Both the statements are incorrect.

From Fermat's principle of least time, light always takes the quickest path when travelling from one point to another.

When light changes its medium, the shortest path may not be the quickest path. So, to reach from one point to another, light may not follow the shortest path. This is the reason why we encounter apparent bending of objects in water. In such scenarios, the shortest path and the quickest path are different. Light prefers quickest path over the shortest path in these situations.

Hence, both the given statements are wrong.