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Refraction

When light travels from one medium to another of different density, it changes speed and direction. Specifically: 1) Its speed decreases and wavelength decreases when entering a denser medium, while frequency remains the same. 2) The direction of the light ray changes, bending toward the normal line at the interface between the media. 3) When light enters a less dense medium, it bends away from the normal line due to reversing the process.

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544 views

Refraction

When light travels from one medium to another of different density, it changes speed and direction. Specifically: 1) Its speed decreases and wavelength decreases when entering a denser medium, while frequency remains the same. 2) The direction of the light ray changes, bending toward the normal line at the interface between the media. 3) When light enters a less dense medium, it bends away from the normal line due to reversing the process.

Uploaded by

api-3755159
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Refraction

Refraction
When light enters a new more dense
medium
A) speed decreases
B) wavelength decreases
C) direction changes if angle i ≠ 0
D) frequency remains the same
Refraction
When light enters a new more dense
medium
The new direction is toward the normal
and since light rays are reversible,
When the ray enters a less dense
medium the rays bend away from the
normal.
Refraction in a
Ripple Tank
From less
From more dense
dense to
to less dense
more dense
I See You – You See Me
Notice that the fish appears
more shallow to the person.
Snell’s Law
n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2
n is the index of refraction and describes the
optical density of the medium.
The greater the index of refraction, the slower
the speed of light.
This is an inverse relationship n1v1 = n2v2
Also n1λ1 = n2λ2
http://www.netzmedien.de/software/download/java/brechung
The Magic Elixir of Life
What would
happen if we
smash a pyrex
rod, n = 1.5
and put it into
a beaker of
oil, n = 1.5 ?
Index of Refraction
Medium Index of Critical angle
refraction = n = θc
Vacuum 1  

Water 1.33  

Lucite 1.5  

diamond 2.4  
Sunrise - Sunset

Why on the
equinox is a
day 12 hours
and 10 minutes
and not just 12
hours?
Sunrise - Sunset

DEMO
Why is the Sky Blue?
Scattering of Light
The amount of scattering is inversely
proportional to the cube of the
wavelength.
Blue has the shortest wavelength and
therefore scatters the most. Red the
least
Scattering of Light
Scattering of Light
Internal Reflection
This occurs only when light travels from
more dense to less dense media.
To ta l Internal Reflection
Demonstration, Total Internal Reflection

Notice that light is not able to get out of the water at


an angles greater than 42°
Total Internal Reflection
The critical angle, θc

n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2 when θ 2 = 90


θ1 is the critical angle, θc and the
formula becomes sin θc = 1/n
http://freespace.virgin.net/gareth.james
/virtual/Optics/Refraction/refraction.html
Index of Refraction
Medium Index of Critical angle
refraction = n = θc
Vacuum 1  

Water 1.33  

Lucite 1.5  

diamond 2.4  
Rainbow
Rainbow
Rainbow
Dispersion

http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw
/java/optics/prism_e.html
Mirages
Mirages
Looming

Towering Image Under


Superior Mirage
Looming
Superior Mirage

Towering
Superior Mirage allows sight beyond Image Underscale is greatly exaggerated.
the horizon:
Superior Mirage

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