MJ26
Refractive Index
·
The refractive indea is a number which is related to the
speed of light in the material (which is
always
less than the
speed of light in a
vacuum)
The
·
refractive index can be calculated in two different ways :
1
.
Using
the ratio of speeds
.
2
Using
the ratio
of angle
· The
refractive index is a number that is
always larger
than 1
and is
different for different materials
Objects which are more
optically dense have a
higher
refractive indem ,
e .
g
. his about 2 4.
for diamond
Objects which are Less
optically dense have a Lower
refractive indem ,
e .
g
. his about 1 5 .
for glass
· Since the
refractive index is a ratio it has
,
no units
The
·
refractive index ,
n
,
for the ratio of speeds , is :
The ratio of the
speeds of a wave in two different
regions
-
refractive indexin for
·
The , the ratio
of speeds ,
is
given by
the equation :
n = speed of light in a vacuum
material
G
= =
3 .
0x10
speed of light in a
Snell's Law (refractive index as a ratio
of angles
When enters denser medium (such it slows down
Light a as
glass)
·
and bend towards the normal
.
bends
How much the
light depends the
density
·
on
of the material.
mmm
GLASS
ANGLE OF
INCIDENCE,i
NORMAL ANGLE OF
REFRACTION,R
Àngle of incidence i and angle of refraction r through a glass block
If light travels
from a less dense to a more dense medium
(e to (bend towards the normal
glass)
air <i
g
.
,
.
If light travels
from a more dense to a less dense medium
(e .
g
.
glass
to air) ,
usi (bend away from the normal)
· Snell's Law
(refractive index for ratio of angles is :
The ratio of of the angle of
sine incidence and the since
angle of reflection of different
two
of the a wave in
regions
·
Snell's Law equation :
sini
n =
sins
· Wherei
· n = the
refractive index
of the material
of incidence of
light (I
the
angle
·
i =
(0)
angle of refraction of light
· v =
the
This
equation can be
reauranged with the
help of the
formula triangle :
ANGLE OF
INCIDENCE
( Sin i)
REFRACTIVE ANGLE OF
INDEX (n) REFRACTION
( Sin r )
Formula triangle for the refractive index in terms of angles
Sin'
trigonometric function scientific
· is the 'sine' which is on a
calculator .
9) A
ray of light
enters a
glass block of refractive indea 1 53
.
angle of
150 with the normal before entering
making
an
the block.
Calculate the
angle it makes with the normal after it enters the
glass block .
Answer :
= Sini
Sin y
Sini
sinw =
Sinu =
iCo) = 01
~ = sin" (0 1692)
.
= 9 7
.
= 10
TC TIP :
Important: (sin i / sin r) is not the same as (i / r). Incorrectly
cancelling the sin terms is a very common mistake!
When calculating the value of i or r start by calculating the value of
sin i or sin r.
You can then use the inverse sin function (sin–1 on most
calculators by pressing 'shift' then 'sine') to find the angle.
One way to remember which way around i and r are in the
fraction is remembering that 'i' comes before 'r' in the alphabet,
and therefore is on the top of the fraction (whilst r is on the
bottom).
Additionally, make sure your calculator is in degrees mode,
not radians mode, when you are given i and r in degrees
Also remember it’s always the bigger angle in the numerator and
small angle in the denominator regardless of whether the ray is
moving from more dense to less dense medium or less dense to
more dense medium.
A
C
REST MCQS AT THE END OF FILE
Total Internal
Reflection
denser medium towards
· Sometimes when ,
light moving
is
from a
a less dense one
,
instead
of being refracted all of the light
,
is
reflected
. This
phenomenon is called total internal
reflection
Total Internal
Reflection (TIR) occurs at
boundary between two media
when :
All the incident
way
in medium 1 is
reflected back into medium
1 .
This is
why diamonds sparkle.
Common use in optic fibers
·
When
light passes
between the
boundary of an
optically
dense to
dense medium and the
angles of incidence
Less
are small
The
refracted ray strong is
The
·
reflected way weak is
The weak
reflected back into the denser medium
·
is
ray
This means some internal
reflection occurs
e
g 2, 3, A
.
I 23
Case I
i =
= (Refraction)
not TIR because not all
Hence 1 .
2 .
3 .
A are
of the way
is
reflected only ,
some
of it .
Case is TIR
Comparing refraction and total internal reflection
ALL OF THE INCIDENT RAY IS ALL OF THE INCIDENT RAY IS
REFRACTED AT THE BOUNDARY REFLECTED AT THE BOUNDARY
i
"
TOTAL INTERNAL
REFRACTED REFLECTION
AIR (LESS
RAY
DENSE) !
"
WATER
(DENSER)
it
INCIDENT I
RAY
&
i=r
Refraction happens when angle of incidence is smaller and total internal
reflection happens when the angle of incidence equals the angle of
reflection
and total internal
Comparing
internal
reflection reflection
· Normal
reflection produces a less intense
reflected light way
compared to TIR.
In Tir the
reflected and
light ray brighter
·
is
more intense
· Normal
reflection independent
occurs
of the
refractive indices
of both media .
There condition
is no
for normal reflection
travels between two media
it will
always
when
light
.
occur
·
For TIR to occur ,
the incident material must be denser than
the second material The . source has to be in dense medium .
Conditions
for Total internal
reflection
Total internal
·
reflection (TIR) occurs when :
angle of incidence
The than the critical and
greater angle
is
the incident material is denser than the second material.
Therefore
·
,
the two conditions
for total internal reflection are :
· The
angle of incidence > the critical
angle
The incident material is denser than the second
material
"
i
T i TOTAL INTERNAL
CRITICAL ANGLE REFLECTION
·
r
AIR ( LESS
DENSE)
REFEACTED RAY
"
·
WATER
(DENSER)
INCIDENT RAY i
· i r
i s
< De
=
i =
8
is On
Total internal reflection happens when the angle of incidence is bigger
than the critical angle
Critical
angle
· At the
boundary between a more dense and a less
dense medium ,
as the
angle of incidence is increased .
the
angle of refraction also increases until it
gets
closer to 90%
When the
angle of refraction exactly
90 the
light
·
is
is
refracted along the boundary.
At this
point the angle of incidence
·
,
is
known critical
angle as a
Critical Angle makes
incidence for which refracted ray
The
angle of
90 with the normal .
Obtaining total internal reflection examples
i i = C is (
7C -T
REFRACTION THE CRITICAL ANGLE
TOTAL INTERNAL
REFLECTION
As the angle of incidence increases it will eventually surplus the critical angle and
lead to total internal reflection of the light
· When the
angle of incidence is
larger than the critical
angle ,
the
refracted ray is now
reflecte d.
· This is total internal reflection .
0 A
glass cube is held in contact with a
liquid and a
directed
lightray
is at a vertical
face of the cube .The
angle of incidence at the vertical
face is 39 and the
angle of refraction is 25 as shown in the
diagram .
The
lightvay totally internally
is
reflected for the
first time at X .
AIR GLASS CUBE
---------------
NORMAL LINE
LIQUID
Complete the diagram to show the
path of the
way beyond
X to the and calculate the critical
air
angle for the
boundary
glass-liquid .
Answer :
=
Air to Glass R I
.
S
RI
.
=
149
=
sin 39
.I
R =
sin 25 sinc =
fug
1 49
18
.
c = 42 .
TC TIP:
If you are asked to explain what is meant by the critical angle in an exam, you can be
sure to gain full marks by drawing and labelling the same diagram above (showing the
three semi-circular blocks)
A
C
D
A
B
A
D
EXTRA PRACTISE QUESTIONS
B
C
B
B
A
B
C
