Reflection & Refraction Chapter 17 Reflection & Refraction
When light rays bounce back off of a medium boundary Reflection When light rays bounce back off of a medium boundary
The bending of light rays when passing from one medium to another Refraction The bending of light rays when passing from one medium to another
A straight line path representing the direction of a light wave Ray A straight line path representing the direction of a light wave
Specular Reflection Reflection off of a smooth surface which results in reflected wave that are parallel
Mirrors give regular reflections Specular Reflection Produce good images Mirrors give regular reflections
Diffuse Reflection Reflection off of a rough surface which results in reflected waves that are not parallel
Diffuse Reflection Because light waves are scattered all over the place, no image can be seen
The angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence Law of Reflection The angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence
Law of Reflection b = a a Normal b
Optical Density How fast light passes through a substance as compared to the speed of light in a vacuum.
Optical Density As optical density increases, the speed in which light passes decreases
Index of Refraction (n) Ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in a material
Indices of Refraction Vacuum: n = 1.00 Air: n = 1.0003 Water: n = 1.33 Ethanol: n = 1.36
Indices of Refraction Crown glass: n = 1.52 Quartz: n = 1.54 Flint glass: n = 1.61 Diamond: n = 2.42
Speed of Light in Other Substances vsub nsub =
Speed of Light in Other Substances nsub vsub =
Solve for the speed of light in each of the following: water (n = 1 Solve for the speed of light in each of the following: water (n = 1.33) crown glass (n = 1.52) diamond (n = 2.42)
Solve for the speed of light in a substance with an optical density of 1.50:
Snell’s Law The ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence over the sine of the angle of refraction is constant for any substance
Snell’s Law sin ai sin ar n =
Snell’s Law ni sin ai = nr sin ar
Snell’s Law ar ai n2 = water n1 = air
Draw a model with a light ray passing from one medium to another more optically dense medium. Include reflection & refraction
A light ray from air (nair = 1.00) strikes glass (nglass = 1.52) with an incident angle of 30.0o. Calculate the angle of refraction:
A light ray from air (nair = 1.00) strikes glass (nglass = 1.61) with an incident angle of 36.9o. Calculate the angle of refraction:
A light ray from air (nair = 1.00) & strikes diamond (ndiamd = 2.42) with an incident angle of 45.0o. Calculate the angle of refraction:
A light ray incident from air (nair = 1. 00) at 45 A light ray incident from air (nair = 1.00) at 45.0o passes into an unknown substance at 30.0o. Calculate its index of refraction:
Total Internal Reflection When light passes from a more optically dense substance to a less optically dense one, the angle of refraction > the angle of incident
b a
Total Internal Reflection (TIR) When the angle of refraction 90o, total internal reflection occurs.
Calculate the angles where TIR occurs when light passes from the following to air: water (n = 1.33) crown glass (n = 1.52) diamond (n = 2.42)
Applications & Effects Prisms Fiber Optics Mirages Red Sunsets Rainbows
Prisms When light pass through a prism the various wavelengths of light are dispersed or separated into a spectrum
Prisms
Fiber Optics A light wave can pass through a thin glass thread surrounded by a reflective substance. Even if the glass thread is bent, the wave passes through as it reflects off the sides.
Mirages Light refracted from a far away source looks closer
Mirages
Sunsets & Rises Sunlight is refracted as it strikes the atmosphere at great angles bending light towards Earth
Sunsets Because different wavelengths are refracted differently, colors change
Sunsets
Rainbows Sunlight is refracted & reflected by rain droplets dispersing the light into a spectrum
Rainbows
Rainbows Rainbows fall from 40 – 42o from incident
Rainbows Rainbows fall from 40 – 42o from incident
A light ray from water (nw = 1.33) & strikes diamond (ndiamd = 2.42) with an incident angle of 53.0o. Calculate the angle of refraction:
A light ray from water (nw = 1.33) & strikes glass (nglass = 1.51) with an incident angle of 53.0o. Calculate the angle of refraction:
Calculate the angle of total internal reflection of pukon with n = 3
Calculate: refl & refr An incident ray from air strikes quartz (n = 1.50) at an angle of 30o from normal. Calculate: refl & refr