INDEX
page no. 1
CERTIFICATE
Certified that this is the bonafide work of Uzzam
Naik of XII of Pratibha International School & Jr.
College.
He has performed this project during the academic
year 2024-25. The student's initiative, cooperation
and participation during the practical classes was
Excellent/ Good/Average/ Below Average. His
aesthetic presentation, visual appeal, expression
and neatness is Excellent/Good/Average/ Below
Average. His content accuracy, creativity,
originality and analysis of different perception is
Excellent/ Good/Average/ Below Average.
Examiner's Signature
Principal's Signature
Teacher's Signature
page no. 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I WOULD LIKE TO CONVEY MY HEARTFELT
THANKS TO THE PRINCIPAL MS. SAVITA
TRAVIS FOR GIVING ME THE GOLDEN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO A WONDERFUL
PROJECT ON
THE TOPIC “INTERNAL REFLECTION
PHENOMENON” WHICH HAS HELPED ME DO
A LOT OF RESEARCH.
II WOULD EXTEND MY HEARTIEST THANKS TO
MY PHYSICS TEACHER LIYA VARGHESE FOR
PROVIDING ME WITH ALL THE SUPPORT I
NEEDED AT ALL TIMES.
I WOULD LIKE TO GRATEFULLY THANK MY
PARENTS FOR PROVIDING ME WITH ALL THE
FACILITIES AND FAVOURABLE ENVIRONMENT
AT HOME.
page no. 3
INTRODUCTION
Total internal reflection is an optical phenomenon
that happens when a ray of light strikes a medium
boundary at an angle larger than a particular critical
angle with respect to the normal to the surface. If
the refractive index is lower on the other side of the
boundary and the incident angle is greater than the
critical angle, no light can pass through and all of the
light is reflected. The critical angle is the angle of
incidence above which the total internal reflectance
occurs.
When a light beam crosses a boundary between
materials with different kinds of refractive indices,
the light beam will be partially refracted at the
boundary surface, and partially reflected. However,
if the angle of incidence is greater (i.e. the ray is
closer to being parallel to the boundary) than the
critical angle – the angle of incidence at which light is
refracted such that it travels along the boundary –
then the light will stop crossing the boundary
altogether and instead be totally reflected back
internally. This can only occur where light travels
from a medium with a higher [n1=higher refractive
index] to one with a lower refractive index [n2=lower
refractive index]. For example, it will occur when
passing from glass to air, but not when passing from
air to glass.
page no. 4
THEORY
Internal reflection is a phenomenon that
occurs when a light wave traveling through a
medium with a higher refractive index
encounters a boundary with a medium of a
lower refractive index at an angle greater than
the so-called "critical angle." At this angle,
rather than passing into the second medium,
the light is entirely reflected back into the
original medium. This is known as total internal
reflection (TIR).
page no. 5
AIM
The aim of this experiment is to investigate the
phenomenon of total internal reflection (TIR) by
determining the critical angle for light as it passes
from a denser medium, such as glass or water, into
a less dense medium, such as air. The experiment
seeks to observe the conditions under which TIR
occurs, beginning with an understanding of Snell's
Law by measuring the angles of incidence and
refraction when light travels at angles below the
critical angle. As the angle of incidence is increased
beyond the calculated critical angle, light should be
fully reflected within the denser medium,
demonstrating TIR.
page no. 6
APPARATUS
1. Glass or acrylic semicircular block (or water-filled
tank)
2. Laser pointer or ray box (to produce a light beam)
3. Protractor (to measure angles of incidence and
refraction)
4. Ruler (to measure distances if needed)
5. White paper (for marking light paths)
6. Dark room or dim lighting (optional, for better
visibility of light paths)
page no. 7
PROCEDURE
1. Place the glass or acrylic block on a sheet of
white paper.
2. Direct the laser beam or ray box at the flat
side of the block and vary the angle of
incidence.
3. Use the protractor to measure the angles of
incidence and refraction.
4. Gradually increase the angle of incidence until
no light exits the block, indicating total
internal reflection.
5. Record this angle as the critical angle.
6. Repeat the experiment to confirm accuracy
and observe the TIR phenomenon at different
angles.
page no. 8
OBSERVATION
1. At smaller angles of incidence, light passes through
the denser medium (glass or water) into the less
dense medium (air) and refracts away from the
normal.
2. As the angle of incidence increases, the angle of
refraction also increases.
3. At a specific angle, known as the critical angle, the
refracted ray skims along the boundary between the
two media.
4. When the angle of incidence exceeds the critical
angle, no light exits into the air; instead, it reflects
entirely within the denser medium, showing total
internal reflection.
5. The critical angle for the medium-air boundary can
be determined from these observations.
page no. 9
CALCULATION
page no. 10
RESULTS
1. The critical angle for the glass-air interface was
found to be approximately 41.8°.
2. The critical angle for the water-air interface was
found to be approximately 48.6°.
3. Total internal reflection occurs when the angle of
incidence exceeds these critical angles, causing light
to reflect entirely within the denser medium.
page no. 11
CONCLUSION
The experiment confirmed that total internal
reflection occurs when light passes from a
denser medium (such as glass or water) to a
less dense medium (like air) at an incidence
angle greater than the critical angle. The
critical angle depends on the refractive indices
of the two media and was determined to be
approximately 41.8° for glass-air and 48.6° for
water-air. This phenomenon demonstrates
how light can be effectively confined within a
medium, which is essential for applications
such as fiber optics and optical devices.
page no. 12
PRECAUTIONS
1. Align the laser or ray box properly to avoid
measurement errors.
2. Use an accurate protractor for angle measurements.
3. Keep the optical materials clean and free from
scratches.
4. Conduct the experiment in a dimly lit room for clear
visibility of the light path.
5. Handle materials carefully to prevent misalignment
or damage.
6. Ensure the correct refractive indices are used for
accurate critical angle calculation.
page no. 13
BIBLIOGRAPHY
HTTPS://CHATGPT.COM
WWW.GOOGLE.COM
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