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TAGORE PUBLIC SCHOOL

LIGHT –REFLECTION & REFRACTION
REFRACTION OF LIGHT
Refraction of light is the phenomenon of bending of tight from its original path when they pass obliquely from one medium
to another medium. The refraction occurs right at the boundary (interface) of the two media.

FACTORS ON WHICH THE REFRACTIVE INDEX OF A MEDIUM DEPENDS

Refractive index of a medium depends upon:
(i) Nature of the material of the medium,
(ii) Density of the medium and
(iii) Colour or wavelength of the light.

 A medium is a transparent material through which light is transmitted.

 Optically denser medium is that medium through which light travels slow. In other words, a medium
in which speed of light is less is known as optically denser medium.
 Thus, optically rarer medium is that medium through which light travels fast. In other words, a
medium in which speed of light is more is known as optically rarer medium.

Rules of refraction
1. Rarer to denser medium: When light rays travel from a rarer to a denser medium then velocity of light decreases in
the denser medium. Therefore, light rays bend towards the normal.
In other words, the angle of refraction (r) becomes less than angle of incidence (i).

2. Denser to rarer medium: When light rays travel from a denser to a rarer medium then velocity of light increases in the
rarer medium. Therefore, light rays bend away from the normal.
In other words angle of refraction (r) becomes greater than angle of incidence (i).
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(3) A ray of light passing normally, i.e., at right angles from one optical medium to another optical medium, does
not bend or deviate from its path. In this case angle of incidence and angle of refraction are both equal to zero.

Cause of Refraction: The deviation (change in direction) in the path of light is due to the change in velocity of
light in the different medium. The velocity of light depends on the nature of the medium in which it travels.

Laws of refraction of light

(i) The incident ray, the refracted ray and the normal to the interface of two transparent media at the
point of incidence, all lie in the same plane.
(ii) The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle of refraction is a constant, for the light of a
given colour and FOR the given pair of media. This law is also known as Snell's law of refraction. If i is
the angle of incidence and r is the angle of refraction, then,

Sin i
------- = Constant
Sin r

REFRACTIVE INDEX
The (absolute) refractive index of a medium is defined as the ratio of speed of light in vacuum to the speed of light in
the medium.

(Absolute) refractive index (of a medium) = speed of light in vacuum(air )

Speed of light in medium

Since, speed of light in air = speed of light in vacuum

The refractive index of medium 2 with respect to medium 1 [w.r.t.] can also be represented as

Sin i n2 V1
------- = ------ = n 21 = --------
Sin r n1 V2

RELATIVE REFRACTIVE INDEX

When light passes from one medium 1 to another medium 2, the refractive index of medium 2 with 'respect to medium 1 is
written as (In2) and is called relative refractive index.

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n2 = Speed of light in medium 1 = V1
Speed of light in medium 2 V2

* Points to remember
 Absolute refractive index of a medium is simply called its refractive index.
 A medium with the larger refractive index is optically denser medium than the other.
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 Optical density of a medium determines the ability of the medium to refract light. It is not the same as mass density
of the medium.
 An optically denser medium may not possess greater mass density, For example, kerosene oil has higher refractive
index than water. Therefore, kerosene oil is optically denser than water. But mass density of kerosene oil is less
than the mass density of water.

Q Why refraction of light takes place?

A. The refraction of light takes place because speed of light changes when light goes from one medium to
another medium.

Reasoning questions
(i) When a thick glass slab is placed over a printed page, the letters appear raised when viewed through the glass
slab.
When a thick glass slab is placed over some printed matter, the letters appear raised and slightly magnified. This
happens due to the refraction of light. When light passes from the printed matter (air) into the glass slab, it bends
towards the normal due to the higher refractive index of glass. As it exits the glass slab back into the air, it bends
away from the normal. This bending of light rays causes the printed matter to appear raised and slightly magnified.

(ii) A coin in a glass tumbler filled with water appears to be raised.

It happens on account of refraction of light. A ray of light starting from the coin goes from water to
air and bends away from normal. Therefore, bottom of the beaker on which the coin lies appears to be
raised.

(iii) A pencil partly immersed in water appears to be displaced at the interface of air and water.
Apparent displacement of the pencil indicates that light reaching us from the portion of the pencil inside
water is coming from a different direction, compared to the
light from the portion of the pencil outside water.
or
The pencil appears to be bent or displaced at the surface of
separation between the two media (water - air interface). This
apparent bending or displacement of pencil is due to the refraction of
light. The ray coming from
the portion of the pencil above and below the water reaches our eyes
from different directions and the pencil appears to be bent or
broken.

(iv) A man standing in front of a special mirror finds his image having a small face, big tummy and legs
of normal size. What are the shapes of three parts of the mirror?
The upper part of mirror showing smaller face must be convex. The middle part of the mirror showing
big tummy must be concave. And the lower part of mirror showing normal legs must be plane.

(v) A ray of light travelling in air is incident on a rectangular glass slab. What will happen?
. In passing through a rectangular glass slab, a ray of light undergoes two refractions and emerges from
opposite side of the slab in a direction parallel to the direction of incidence of light. The emergent
ray is, however, displaced laterally.

(vi) What are the conditions for no refraction to takes place?

1. When the light is incident normally on a boundary.
2. When the refractive indices of two media in contact are equal.

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Numerical problems on Refractive Index

Q1 Refractive index of glass is 1.5. If the speed of light in vacuum is 3 X 108 m/s, find velocity of light
in medium.

Solution: Refractive index, µ=C/v

= Velocity of light in vacuum / Velocity of light in medium
v=C/µ
= 3 X 108 / 1.5
= 2 X 10 m/s. (Ans.)

Q2 If the refractive index of water is 4/3 and that of glass is 3/2. What will be the refractive index of
glass w.r.t. water?

µw = 4/3, and
µg = 3/2
Refractive index of glass w.r.t. water ( wµg ) = aµg / aµw
= 3/2 / 4/3
= 3/2 X 3/4
= 9/8

Q3 The velocity of light in kerosene is 2.08 × 108 m/s and in water is 1.96 × 108 m/s. By referring to the
given values calculate or find the refractive index of the kerosene with respect to the water medium.
n21 = v1 / v2
nkw = vw / vk
vk = 2.08 × 108 m/s
vw = 1.96 × 108 m/s
nkw = 2.08 × 108 m/s / 1.96 × 108 m/s
nkw = 0.94
Hence, the refractive index ratio of kerosene in respect to second medium water is 0.94.

Q4 The refractive index of glass with respect to air is 1.65 and that of water w.r.t air is 1.33. Calculate
refractive index of water w.r.t to glass.

Q5 Refractive index of air w.r.t is 1.33. What is the value of refractive index of air w.r.t water?

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