MODULE 13

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, the student is able to:
1. Define the law of reflection.

2. Formulate the relationship between the angle

of reflection and the angle of incidence.

3. Formulate the relationship between the index

of refraction and the speed of light.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
▪ The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of
all possible frequencies of electromagnetic
radiation.

▪ The electromagnetic spectrum includes

common regimes such as ultraviolet, visible,
microwave, and radio waves.
The Law of Reflection
▪ Reflection is the property of a propagated
wave being thrown back from a surface (such as
a mirror).

▪ The law of reflection states that the angle of

reflection equals the angle of incidence: θr = θi.

▪ The angles are measured relative to the

perpendicular (normal line) to the surface at
the point where the ray strikes the surface.
The Law of Reflection

Source: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-physics/chapter/reflection-
refraction-and-dispersion/
The Law of Reflection

Source: https://www.stickmanphysics.com/stickman-physics-
home/unit-10-waves/wave-phenomena/
The Law of Reflection
▪ The angle of incidence (𝛉𝐢 ) is the angle from
the normal line to the incident ray.

▪ The angle of reflection (𝛉𝐫 ) is the angle from

the normal line to the reflected ray.

▪ If 𝛉𝐢 was 48°, then 𝛉𝐫 would also be 48°.

Refraction of Light
▪ Wave refraction is a bending that occurs as a
light ray enters a new medium. Remember that
wave speed will be the same until there is a
new medium.

▪ Due to the change in speed, the transition

into the new medium will create a bending.
The angle of incidence (𝛉𝐢 ) is the incoming ray
or wave. Here r stands for refraction in the
angle of refraction (𝛉𝐫 ).
Refraction of Light
▪ The normal line in refraction diagrams is
drawn through into the new medium since light
travels through. The angle or refraction is
measured from the normal line to the refracted
ray.

▪ Bending occurs towards the normal line if

light travels from faster to slower in the new
medium.
Refraction of Light
Bending occurs towards
the normal line if light
travels from faster to
slower in the new
medium.
Refraction of Light
Bending occurs
towards the normal
line if light travels
from faster to slower
in the new medium.
The Law of Refraction
▪ Refraction is the changing of a light ray’s
direction (loosely called bending) when it
passes through variations in matter.

▪ Bending occurs towards the normal line if

light travels from faster to slower in the new
medium.

▪ Bending occurs towards the normal line if

light travels from faster to slower in the new
medium.
The Law of Refraction
▪ A fish in water will
appear to be in a different
location because of
refraction. Light travels
slower in water than
in air. Light bends
away from the normal
line as it exits water.
A fish will appear to
be straight ahead when
in reality it is in a different position.
Speed of Light
▪ Light is an electromagnetic wave that travels
fastest in the vacuum of space, slower in gas,
and slowest in a solid because of density.

▪ Light has a different speed in different

translucent solids. Translucent means you can
see through them.
Speed of Light

Source: https://www.stickmanphysics.com/stickman-physics-
home/electromagnetic-waves/refraction-of-light/
Index of Refraction
▪ The index of refraction, 𝒏 is the ratio of speed
of light in a vacuum (𝒄) to speed of light in
another medium (𝒗).
𝒄
𝒏=
𝒗
▪ The index of refraction (n) is always 1 or
greater.
▪ The larger the index of refraction (n) the slower
light travels in that medium.
▪ The index of refraction (n) has as no unit
Frequency Between Media
▪ As light travels from one medium to
another, its frequency does not change.

▪ The frequency stays the same as the wave

travels from one medium to the other.

▪ Both the wave speed and the wavelength

do change.
Sample Problems
1.What is the speed of light in water that has an
index of refraction of 1.333?
𝒄 𝒄
Solution: Since 𝒏 = then: 𝒗 =
𝒗 𝒏
𝟑 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟖
𝒗= = 2.25 x 108 m/s
𝟏.𝟑𝟑
Sample Problems
2. What is the index of refraction for ice at 20° C
where light travels at 3 x 108 m/s? Ans.: n = 1.31

3. What is the speed of light in diamond that has

an index of refraction of 2.419?
Ans.: 1.24 x 108 m/s
Solved Problems
1.What is the speed of light in water that has an
index of refraction of 1.333?
𝒄 𝒄
Solution: Since 𝒏 = then: 𝒗 =
𝒗 𝒏
𝟑 𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟖
𝒗= = 2.25 x 108 m/s
𝟏.𝟑𝟑
The Law of Refraction
The Law of Refraction

A ray of light moves closer to the perpendicular

when it slows down.
The Law of Refraction

A ray of light moves away from the perpendicular

when it speeds up.
The Law of Refraction
▪ The amount that a light ray changes its
direction depends both on the incident angle
and the amount that the speed changes.

▪ For a ray at a given incident angle, a large

change in speed causes a large change in
direction, and thus a large change in angle.

▪ The exact mathematical relationship is the

𝒍𝒂𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝑛, or “𝑺𝒏𝒆𝒍𝒍′ 𝒔 𝑳𝒂𝒘.”
The Snell’s Law
▪ Snell’s Law Equation
𝒏𝟏 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽𝟏 = 𝒏𝟐 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽𝟐
where: 𝒏𝟏 and 𝒏𝟐 are the indices of refraction
for medium 1 and 2, and 𝛉𝟏 and 𝛉𝟐 are the
angles between the rays and the perpendicular
in medium 1 and 2.
The incoming ray is called the incident ray and
the outgoing ray the refracted ray, and the
associated angles the incident angle and the
refracted angle.
Sample Problems
1. What is the angle of refraction when the angle
of incidence is 20° when going from air (n=1.00)
to water (n=1.33)? Ans.: 14.9o

2. What is the index of refraction for an unknown

substance when the angle of incidence is 31° in
the unknown and a angle of refraction is 26° in
water (n=1.33)? Ans.: n = 1.13
Sample Problems
3. Find the index
of refraction for
medium 2 in the
figure, assuming
medium 1 is air and
given the incident
angle is 30.0º
and the angle of
refraction is 22.0º.
Ans.: 1.33
Work Problems
1. A scuba diver training in a pool looks at his
instructor as shown in Figure 5. What angle does
the ray from the instructor’s face make with the
perpendicular to the water at the point where
the ray enters? The angle between the ray in the
water and the perpendicular to the water is
25.0º.
Figure 5: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/physics/chapter/25-
3-the-law-of-refraction/
Work Problems
2. Components of some computers communicate
with each other through optical fibers having an
index of refraction n = 1.55. What time in
nanoseconds is required for a signal to travel
0.200 m through such a fiber? Ans.: 1.03 ns
3. What is the speed of light in air? In crown
glass?
4. What is the angle of incidence when the angle
of refraction is 15° when going from diamond
(n=2.42) to water (n=1.33)? Ans.: 8.18o
Work Problems
5. Suppose Figure 6 represents a ray of light
going from air through crown glass into water,
such as going into a fish tank. Calculate the
amount the ray is displaced by the glass (Δx),
given that the incident angle is 40.0º and the
glass is 1.00 cm thick.

6. An underwater scuba diver sees the Sun at an

apparent angle of 45.0° above the horizon. What
is the elevation angle of the Sun above the
horizon?
Work Problems
Figure 6. A ray of light
passes from one
medium to a third by
traveling through a
second. The final
direction is the same
as if the second
medium were not
present, but the ray is
displaced by Δx
(shown exaggerated).
Total Internal Reflection
▪ Total internal reflection (TIR) is the
phenomenon that involves the reflection of all
the incident light off the boundary.

▪ TIR only takes place when both of the

following two conditions are met:
1. the light is in the more dense medium
and approaching the less dense medium.
2. the angle of incidence is greater than the
so-called critical angle.
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/refrn/Lesson-3/Total-Internal-Reflection
Total Internal Reflection

https://www.stickmanphysics.com/stickman-physics-home/electromagnetic-
waves/refraction-of-light/
Total Internal Reflection
As the angle of incidence
𝜃1 increases the angle of
refraction 𝜃2 increases
until 𝜃2 becomes 90o (ray
#4).

For even larger angles of

Source: Serway & Jewett
incidence, total internal
reflection occurs (ray #5).
 Total Internal Reflection
▪ Light bends away from the normal line when
going from a slower to a faster medium. As the
angle of incidence increases, so does the angle
of refraction.

faster medium

slower medium
Total Internal Reflection
▪ Light no longer refracts into a faster medium
after a certain angle called the critical angle.

▪ Critical Angle: Angle of incidence after which

light will only reflect and not refract.
Total Internal Reflection
▪ Beyond the critical angle, there is only total
internal reflection and no refraction.
Fiber Optics
▪ An application of internal reflection
▪ Plastic or glass rods are used to “pipe” light
from one place to another.
▪ Applications include
1. Medical use of fiber optic cables for
diagnosis and correction of medical problems
2. Telecommunications
Critical Angle Formula
▪ The critical angle 𝛉𝐜 for a given combination of
materials is:
−𝟏 𝒏𝟐
𝜽𝒄 = 𝒔𝒊𝒏 ( ) for 𝒏𝟏 > 𝒏𝟐
𝒏𝟏

▪ The above equation is written for a light ray

that travels in medium 1 and reflects from
medium 2.
Sample Problems
1. What is the critical angle for light in diamond
(2.42) going into to air (1.00)?

Solution:
Sample Problems
2. For 589-nm light, calculate the critical angle
for the materials surrounded by air:
a) cubic zirconia
b) flint glass
c) ice

Problem #27 (textbook)

Work Problems
1. Part of a fish tank made of glass is shown in the
figure. A ray starting from the left passes through
the glass and is totally internally reflected at the
water-air interface. Take the index of refraction for
the glass and water to be 1.5 and 1.33, respectively.
(a) Find the critical angle 𝛉𝐜 for the total internal
reflection at the water-air boundary. (b) Find the
angle 𝛉𝟐 between the light ray and the normal
inside the glass wall. (c) Find the incident angle
𝛉𝟏 between the light ray and the normal to the
glass.
Source: Hafez A. Radi, John O. Rasmussen, Principles of Physics
For Scientists and Engineers, Springer, 2013
Work Problems
2. A laser beam strikes one end of a slab of
material, as shown in Figure P35.55. The index
of refraction of the slab is 1.48. Determine the
number of internal reflections of the beam
before it emerges from the opposite end of the
slab. Problem #55 (textbook)
Work Problems
3. If a virtual image is formed 10.0 cm behind a
convex mirror with a focal length of -15.0 cm,
what is the object's distance from the mirror?
Ans.: 30 cm