Higher Physics Unit 3

3.2 Refraction of Light

Refraction
What is Refraction?
Refraction is when the speed and direction of light changes, as
light moves from one material to another.

a
= angle of incidence in air (larger)

m
= angle of incidence in material
When light passes from air into a material the ratio is constant.
m
a
sin
sin
The absolute refractive index, n, of a medium is given by:
where
1
is the angle in a vacuum (air is used as an approximation) and

2
is the angle in the medium.
Material Refractive Index n
glass
1.5
perspex 1.47
water 1.33
diamond 2.4
2
1
sin
sin
n
=
m
a
sin
sin
n
=
*** NOT ON DATA SHEET ***
Example
A ray of light shines into a block of perspex. Calculate angle x
n
sin
sin
m
a
=
1.47
x sin
20 sin
=
1.47
20 sin
x sin =
= 13.5 x
20
0
x
P&N Tutorial Booklets
Q3.22 3.26
Outcome 3
Refractive Index of a Perspex Block
normal

p
B
A
C
Place the block on white paper and trace
around its outline.
Draw in the normal at the midpoint B.
With incident angle
a
= 10
0
, measure
the angle
p
, the refracted angle in
the perspex.
Repeat for other values of incident angle.
Use an appropriate format to determine the refractive index of the perspex block.
Refractive Index
The refractive index can also be found using:
m
a
v
v
n =
m
a

n =
speed of light in air (3x10
8
ms
-1
)
speed of light in material (ms
-1
)
wavelength of light in air (m, nm)
wavelength of light in material (m, nm)
Example 1
Show that the refractive index of glass 1.50.
-1 8
a
ms 10 3 v =
-1 8
m
ms 10 2 v =
? n =
m
a
v
v
n =
8
8
10 2
10 3

=
1.5 n =
Example 2
The refractive index of water is 1.33.
Calculate the speed of light in the water.
-1 8
a
ms 10 3 v =
? v
m
=
1.33 n =
m
a
v
v
n =
m
8
v
10 3
1.33

=
1.33
10 3
v
8
m

=
1 8
m
ms 10 2.26 v

=
Frequency
Light of wavelength 600nm in air is shone through glass of
refractive index 1.5.
Calculate: a) speed of light in the glass
b) wavelength of light in the glass
c) frequency of light in the air
d) frequency of light in the glass
2 x 10
8
ms
-1
400nm
5 x 10
14
Hz
5 x 10
14
Hz
Conclusion
The frequency of a wave is determined by its source and does not
change in different media.
f
air
= f
material
Velocity and wavelength change.
FREQUENCY DOES NOT CHANGE
Summary
When light is refracted:
Snells Law
Refractive index depends on the frequency of the incident light.
Refraction occurs because a wave travels at different speeds in
different media. As the light changes speed, it changes direction.
The refractive index is equal to the ratio of the speeds, giving:
but as frequency is constant this cancels to:
2
1
2
1
2
1
f
f
v
v
sin
sin
n = = =
2
1
2
1
2
1

v
v
sin
sin
n = = =
P&N Tutorial Booklets
Q3.27 3.30
Critical Angle
When a ray of light is shone into a semi-circular glass block, most
of the light is refracted however this is a partial reflection.
normal
small
incident
angle
partial reflection
refracted light
If the angle within the medium
m
is increased, a point is reached where
the angle in air
a
is 90.
The angle in the medium that causes this is the CRITICAL ANGLE.
normal
large
incident
angle
partial reflection
refracted light
On increasing the angle within the medium
m
beyond the critical
angle, all the light is reflected.
This is known as TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION.
normal
larger
incident
angle
reflected light
Refraction or Total Internal Reflection
Comparing the size of the incident angle (
i
) with the critical angle (
c
)
determines whether refraction or total internal reflection occurs.
c i
<
c i
>
reflection partial and refraction
reflection internal total
normal

p
B
C
Critical Angle of a Perspex Block
Make measurements of various incident angles
p
and the
corresponding refracted angle
a
to determine the critical
angle
c
for the perspex block.
Critical Angle Formula
When the angle in the medium
is equal to the critical angle,
the angle in air is 90
0
So applying Snells Law:
normal

c
90
0
m
a
sin
sin
n =
c
sin
90 sin
n =
c
sin
1
n =
But because sin 90 = 1
or
n
1
sin
c
=
Example
The refractive index of glass is 1.5. Calculate the critical angle.
n
1
sin
c
=
1.5
1
sin
c
=
..... 666 . 0 sin
c
=
0
c
8 . 41 =
( ) 0.666..... sin
1
c

=
Example 2
A swimming pool is illuminated by a lamp built into the bottom of the
pool.
Three rays of light from the same point in the lamp are incident on the
water-air boundary with angles of incidence of 30, 40 and 50 as
shown.
The refractive index of the water in the pool is 1.33.
(a) Draw a diagram to show clearly what happens to each ray at the
boundary.
Indicate on your diagram the sizes of appropriate angles.
All necessary calculations must be shown.
Critical Angle
n
1
sin
c
=
1.33
1
sin
c
=
( ) 0.752 sin
1
c

=
= 48.8
c
c i
<
c i

reflection partial and refraction
reflection internal total
Ray 1
= 30
i c i
<
reflection partial and refraction
1.33 n =
= 30
m
?
a
=
m
a
sin
sin
n =
sin30 1.33 sin
a
=

=
30 sin
sin
1.33
a
( ) 0.665 sin
1
a

=
= 41.7
a
Ray 2
= 40
i c i
<
reflection partial and refraction
1.33 n =
= 40
m
?
a
=
m
a
sin
sin
n =
= 40 sin 1.33 sin
a

=
40 sin
sin
1.33
a
( ) 0.855 sin
1
a

=
= 58.7
a
Ray 3
= 50
i c i
> reflection internal total
42
59
(b) An observer stands at the side of the pool and looks into the
water.
Explain, with the aid of a diagram, why the image of the lamp
appears to be at a shallower depth than the bottom of the pool.
To an observer the light appears to originate from where the
broken rays cross.
This produces a virtual image of the lamp at the apparently
shallower depth.
Refraction & Total Internal Reflection in Nature
P&N Tutorial Booklets
Q3.31 3.36