PHY260/FSG/FIZIK/UiTM TAPAH

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA, PERAK

TAPAH CAMPUS

GEOMETRICAL OPTICS (PHY260)

LABORATORY REPORT

EXPERIMENT NO: 1

TITLE: REFLECTION, REFRACTION AND DISPERSION OF LIGHT

NAME:

STUDENT ID:

GROUP NO:

GROUP MEMBERS:

NAME: STUDENT ID:

NAME: STUDENT ID:
NAME: STUDENT ID:
NAME: STUDENT ID:
NAME: STUDENT ID:

DATE OF EXPERIMENT:

DATE OF SUBMISSION:

LECTURER:

Format Method Data Analysis Discussion Conclusio Total

1.0 1.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 n Marks
2.0 10.0

Experiment 1

Title: Reflection, Refraction and Dispersion of Light

Pre lab discussions:

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Objective:

To observe the interactions of light with transparent matter: reflection, refraction, the index of
refraction, and dispersion of light during refraction.

Apparatus:

1. Ray box
2. Rectangular Lucite slab
3. Prism
4. Plane mirror
5. Drafting equipment: two triangles; a protractor; a sharpened pencil; (8½ x 11 in.) white
paper; tape; a desk lamp.

Theory

(A)The Law of Reflection: The angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence. Both angles are
measured between the light ray and the normal. (See Fig. 1.)

Law of reflection: θ=Ѱ

The normal to the surface

Incident light ray Reflected light ray

Incident Ref lected

angle angle

 

Reflecting surface

Fig. 1 The law of reflection 

(B) The Law of Refraction (Snell’s law): The product of the sine of the angle of incidence
times the indices of refraction of the first media equals the product of the sine of the angle
of refraction times the indices of refraction of the second media. Again, both angles are
measured between the normal to the refracting surface and the corresponding rays.

Snell's Law: n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2 (2)

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(C) Total Internal Reflection:

From Equation 2 we find
n1 · sin θ1 = sin θ2
n2

If it happens that: n1 · sin θ1 > 1

n2

Snell’s law breaks down since the sine of an angle is always less than 1. In this case, rather than
refraction, a reflection occurs inside the media n 2. This reflection obeys the law of reflection,
according to formula (1) and is called total internal reflection.

Procedure Part I: Reflection

Note: The quality of your results in this experiment will depend much upon the accuracy of your
drawings.

(a) Tape a regular 8½” by 11” sheet of white paper to the table and place the mirror vertically
approximately 10 cm from the top of the paper. (See Fig.3.) Using a sharp pencil, lightly outline the
mirror's position on the paper.

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(b) Remove the mirror; mark a point K on the outline of the mirror and draw the normal through K,
marking it by a centerline using a protractor.

(c) Replace the mirror back over its outline. Now you have the normal drawn to the mirror's surface
and can start doing the experiment. Take the ray box and direct the light at an angle of ~20 o at the
point K. This is your first angle of incidence θ 1. Mark a point M 1 on this ray (close to the ray box), as
well as a point N1 on the reflected ray a similar distance. When you have completed these steps,
your drawing should look similar to that of Fig. 4 below.

Points M1, K and N1 will allow you to trace the incident and reflected rays, and to measure angles θ 1
and 1.

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ray-box normal

M
1
  N
1 1 1
 
incident ray
reflected ray

K
mirror

Fig. 4 Reflection of Light

(d) Now carefully move the ray box (do not move the mirror) and repeat step (c) for four other
angles of incidence evenly spaced between 20 0 and 700. Label the new points M2, N2, M3, N3, etc.
until all five pairs are selected. Upon completing this, remove the mirror, turn on the desk lamp and
draw the lines: incident M 1-K; reflected K-N1, etc. tracing all five incident rays and the
corresponding five reflected rays.

Procedure Part II: Refraction

(e) Turn the sheet over and tape it, as before, to the table but now in the vertical position. Place the
Lucite slab flat in a horizontal position as shown. Outline the slab. Remove it and mark a point K
about one-third from the left edge at the top of the slab. This is the mark for the normal. Now
construct the normal through K, marking it by a centerline. (See Fig. 5.)

(f) Replace the slab. Direct a ray at point K at an angle of incidence ~200; mark a point M (near the
ray box). Note: the refracted ray inside the slab will not be visible, but an emerging ray will be visible.
Now you need to mark two points, P and Q, as far apart as practical, on the emerging ray. From this
you will be able to locate the point of emergence B and reconstruct the path KB of the ray inside the
slab. (See Fig. 5.)

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ray-box
the normal

M
1 ~ 18 cm

incident ray

2

B
Lucite slab P

emerging ray
Q

Fig. 5 Refraction of light

(g) By moving the ray box (do not move the slab) repeat (f) for four other angles of incidence, evenly
spaced between 200 and 700. Label all relevant points with subscripts from “2” to “5”, namely: M 1,
P1, Q1, etc.

Procedure Part III: Total Internal Reflection

(h) Direct a ray to one of your equilateral Lucite prisms as in Fig. 6. The angle  should be between
75º and 850. Arrange for the total internal reflection at point B, near the middle of the second side of
the prism. Outline the prism and mark the incident and emerging rays by dots. Also mark the point
B, which can be detected by a glow.

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Result/Data

Part I: Reflection

Experiment θ Ѱ θ-Ѱ
1
2
3
4
5

Part II: Refraction

Run # θ1 θ2 n
1
2
3
4
5

Part III: Internal Reflection

(a) Measure the angles α and β, as per Fig. 6, and display them in your report.

(b) Should the angles α and β be the same or not?

Explain your reasoning (Hint: use geometrical reasoning and Snell’s Law.
No calculations are needed).