INTRODUCTION

Total Internal Reflection (TIR) is a captivating optical

phenomenon where light, instead of passing from one
medium to another, is entirely reflected back into the
original medium. It's a fundamental principle of light
behavior that underpins a vast array of modern
technologies and explains several intriguing natural
occurrences.
To truly appreciate TIR, we first need to understand
how light typically behaves when it encounters a
boundary between two different materials. Light
travels at different speeds through different
substances. When it crosses from one medium to
another (for example, from air to water, or glass to air),
its speed changes, causing it to bend or "refract." This
bending is governed by Snell's Law and is dependent
on the refractive index of each medium – a measure of
how much a material slows down light. Simultaneously,
a portion of the light is also "reflected" back from the
boundary.
UNDERSTANDING LIGHT AND REFLECTION
Light is a fascinating and fundamental aspect of our
universe. It is a form of electromagnetic radiation
that travels in waves and, in many contexts, can be
thought of as streams of tiny energy packets called
photons. It's the medium through which we perceive
the world around us, allowing us to see colors,
shapes, and distances

One of the most common ways light interacts with

matter is through reflection. Reflection occurs when
light waves encounter a surface or boundary and
bounce off it, redirecting their path. This phenomenon
is what allows us to see objects that do not produce
their own light; light from a source (like the sun or a
lamp) hits the object, reflects off its surface, and then
travels to our eyes, enabling us to perceive it

THE BEHAVIOUR OF REFLECTED LIGHT IS

GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF REFLECTION

The Incident Ray, the Reflected Ray, and the

Normal all lie in the same plane. The "normal" is an
imaginary line drawn perpendicular (at 90∘) to the
surface at the point where the light ray strikes it.
 The Angle of Incidence (θi​) is equal to the Angle of
Reflection (θr​). The angle of incidence is the angle
between the incident ray and the normal, and the
angle of reflection is the angle between the reflected
ray and the normal.

THERE ARE TWO MAIN TYPES OF REFLECTION

Specular Reflection (or Regular Reflection): This occurs
when light reflects off a very smooth, polished surface,
like a mirror or still water. The parallel incident rays
remain parallel after reflection, creating a clear, sharp
image.

Diffuse Reflection (or Irregular Reflection): This

happens when light reflects off a rough or uneven
surface, like a wall, paper, or clothing. The incident
parallel rays scatter in many different directions after
reflection, which is why we don't see a clear image on
such surfaces, but rather just the object itself. Most of
what we see around us is due to diffuse reflection.
The Concept of Total Internal Reflection
Building upon our understanding of how light behaves
when it encounters a boundary—undergoing both
reflection and refraction—we now arrive at a
fascinating scenario known as Total Internal
Reflection (TIR). This phenomenon is not merely an
extension of ordinary reflection; it's a unique and
complete trapping of light within a denser medium.
Imagine a light ray originating in an optically denser
medium (a medium with a higher refractive index, like
water or glass) and attempting to pass into an
optically rarer medium (a medium with a lower
refractive index, like air).
As we learned from Snell's Law, when light passes
from a denser to a rarer medium, it bends away from
the normal. This means the angle of refraction (θr​) will
always be greater than the angle of incidence (θi​).

Now, consider what happens as we progressively

increase the angle of incidence (θi​) in the denser
medium:

Small Angle of Incidence (θi​<θc​): For small angles,

some light is reflected back into the denser medium,
and a significant portion is refracted into the rarer
medium, bending away from the normal.
The Critical Angle (θi​=θc​): As the angle of incidence
increases, the angle of refraction also increases,
moving closer to 90∘. There comes a specific angle of
incidence, known as the critical angle (θc​), at which
the refracted ray grazes along the interface between
the two media. At this precise angle, the angle of
refraction is exactly 90∘. The light is still technically
refracting, but it's no longer actually entering the
second medium in a way that travels through it.

Beyond the Critical Angle (θi​>θc​): This is where Total

Internal Reflection occurs. If the angle of incidence in
the denser medium exceeds the critical angle, the light
ray can no longer be refracted into the rarer medium
at all. Instead, it is completely and perfectly reflected
back into the original denser medium. There is no
transmission of light across the boundary. All of the
incident light energy is contained within the denser
medium, effectively "trapped."
The Critical Angle: The Threshold of Reflection
The critical angle (θc​) is defined as the angle of incidence
in the optically denser medium for which the
corresponding angle of refraction (θr​) in the optically
rarer medium is exactly 90 degrees. At this angle, the
refracted ray no longer enters the second medium but
instead travels along the interface between the two
media.
Derivation using Snell's Law:

We can mathematically determine the critical angle

using Snell's Law, which describes the relationship
between the angles of incidence and refraction and the
refractive indices of the two media:

n1​sinθi​=n2​sinθr​
Where:
n1​= refractive index of the denser medium (incident
medium)
n2​= refractive index of the rarer medium (refracted
medium)
θi​= angle of incidence
θr​= angle of refraction

To find the critical angle, we set the conditions specific

to it:
The angle of incidence becomes the critical angle: θi​
=θc​
The angle of refraction becomes 90∘: θr​=90∘
Substituting these into Snell's Law:
n1​sinθc​=n2​sin90∘

Since sin90∘=1, the equation simplifies to:

n1​sinθc​=n2​

Now, we can solve for sinθc​:

sinθc​=n1/​n2​​

And finally, to find the critical angle itself:

θc​=sin−1(n1/​n2​​)

Important Considerations:
Condition n1​>n2​: For total internal reflection (and
thus the existence of a critical angle), it is crucial
that light travels from a denser medium to a rarer
medium. This ensures that the ratio n1​n2​​is always
less than 1, allowing for a valid inverse sine
calculation. If n1​<n2​, light would bend towards the
normal, and an angle of refraction of 90∘ would
never be reached.

Unique to Each Interface: The value of the critical angle

is unique for every specific pair of media. For example,
the critical angle for a water-air interface is different
from that for a glass-air interface because their
refractive indices differ.
Examples of Critical Angles (with respect to air, where
nair​≈1.00):
Water (n1​≈1.33):θc​=sin−1(1.331.00​)≈48.6∘
Common Glass (n1​≈1.50):θc​=sin−1(1.501.00​)≈41.8∘
Diamond (n1​≈2.42):θc​=sin−1(2.421.00​)≈24.4∘

This small critical angle for diamond is a key factor in

its renowned brilliance, as it leads to multiple
internal reflections that trap and then release light,
creating its famous sparkle.
The critical angle truly is the threshold. Once light's
angle of approach surpasses this value, it crosses
over into the realm of total internal reflection,
making the boundary an almost perfect mirror.
 CONDITIONS FOR TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION
For Total Internal Reflection (TIR) to occur, two strict
conditions must be met simultaneously. If either of
these conditions is not satisfied, TIR will not happen.

Here are the two essential conditions:

Light must travel from an optically denser medium to

an optically rarer medium.

The angle of incidence (θi​) in the denser medium

must be greater than the critical angle (θc​) for that
specific pair of media.
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF TOTAL INTERNAL
REFLECTION
Total Internal Reflection (TIR) isn't just about light
reflecting; it possesses several distinct characteristics
that differentiate it from ordinary reflection and make it
incredibly useful in various applications:
1 : Perfect (100%) Reflection:
Unlike reflection from a typical mirror, which absorbs
or transmits a small percentage of light, TIR is
theoretically 100% efficient. This means virtually all of
the incident light energy is reflected back into the
denser medium. There is no loss due to absorption or
transmission into the rarer medium (assuming the
rarer medium is perfectly transparent and the
interface is clean).
 This perfect efficiency is a major reason why TIR is
preferred over conventional mirrors in many high-
precision optical instruments and for long-distance
light transmission in fiber optics.
2 : Absence of Refraction (No Transmission of
Energy across the Interface):
By definition, when TIR occurs, no light energy
passes into the optically rarer medium. The angle of
incidence is too large for refraction to occur in the
conventional sense.
This complete confinement of light is what enables
optical fibers to guide light over thousands of
kilometers without significant signal degradation.
3: Presence of an Evanescent Wave:
Although no power is transmitted across the
interface during TIR, a fascinating phenomenon
occurs just beyond the boundary in the rarer
medium: an evanescent wave (also known as an
evanescent field or evanescent mode).
This wave is an electromagnetic field that exists
briefly and decays exponentially with distance from
the interface. It does not carry energy away from the
interface (it's "non-propagating" in the direction
perpendicular to the interface), but it does
penetrate a very shallow depth (typically a few
wavelengths) into the rarer medium.
 The presence of the evanescent wave is crucial for
techniques like Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR)
spectroscopy, where the evanescent field interacts
with a sample placed in the rarer medium, providing
chemical information without the light having to pass
through the entire sample. It's also utilized in optical
sensors and some types of waveguides.
4: Phase Shift upon Reflection:
When light undergoes TIR, there is a phase shift in the
reflected light. This phase shift is not 180∘ (like
reflection from a denser medium at normal incidence)
but depends on the angle of incidence and the
polarization of the light (whether the electric field is
perpendicular or parallel to the plane of incidence).
This characteristic is important in the design of
various optical components, such as prisms used
in interferometers, where precise control over
the phase of light is required. It's also why a
single TIR can't perfectly replicate a metallic
mirror's behavior for all applications.
5: Directional Specificity (Angle Dependence):
TIR is highly dependent on the angle of incidence
relative to the critical angle. It only occurs when θi​>θc​
.
This directional dependence makes it predictable and
controllable, allowing engineers to design devices
where light is deliberately guided or reflected based
on its angle of entry.
These key characteristics make Total Internal Reflection
a powerful and versatile phenomenon, enabling its
widespread use in fields ranging from
telecommunications to medical diagnostics and even in
natural wonders like the sparkle of a diamond.

APPLICATIONS OF TOTAL INTERNAL

REFLECTION
1: Fiber Optics: The Backbone of Modern
Communication
Applications: This phenomenon revolutionized
telecommunications, enabling high-speed internet,
telephone calls, and cable television over vast
distances with minimal signal loss. It's the literal
backbone of global digital communication.

2: Prisms: Redirecting Light with Precision

Applications:
Binoculars and Telescopes: Prisms are used to invert
and erect images, making them viewable in the
correct orientation, and to shorten the physical
length of the instrument.
Periscopes: Used in submarines or for viewing over
obstacles, periscopes employ prisms to redirect light
by 90∘ or 180∘.
SLR Cameras: Prisms are integral to the viewfinder
system, redirecting light from the lens to the
eyepiece.
3: Diamonds: The Dazzling Sparkle

4: Mirages: Nature's Optical

Illusion

5: Medical Endoscopes: A Glimpse Inside the

Body

6: Retroreflectors (e.g., Cat's Eyes, Bicycle

Reflectors)
 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
High efficiency (near Requires specific
100% reflection). conditions (denser to
Enables long-distance rarer, θi​>θc​)
data transmission Limited by the
(fiber optics) numerical aperture in
No need for reflective fiber optics (light must
enter within a certain
coatings (like mirrors)
cone)
CONCLUSION
Total Internal Reflection (TIR) is when light, moving from
a denser to a rarer medium, completely reflects back
into the denser medium. This happens only if the angle
of incidence is greater than a specific critical angle. It's
a highly efficient reflection (nearly 100%) and is
fundamental to technologies like fiber optics (for
internet/telecommunications), prisms (in
binoculars/periscopes), and explains the sparkle of
diamonds.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
NCERT CLASS XII PHYSICS BOOK

Yotexthttps://www.britannica.com/technology/fiber
-optics

Yourparagraphtexthttp://hyperphysics.ph
yastr.gsu.edu/hbase/phyopt/critang.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_internal_reflecti
on

REFERENCE PHYSICS BOOK CLASS XII