Refraction of light

John says, When hunting a fish under water, you should aim your spear directly at the fish. Do you agree?
Yes, of course.

No, because the fish is actually located somewhere else.

No, because size of objects changes when they are put under water.

When sunlight falls on the water surface, which of the following occur(s)?
It is reflected back to the air. It refracts into the water.
It is absorbed by water and turned into heat.

Introduction
Refraction is the bending of light when the light passes from one medium to another. air glass

Introduction
Useful words to describe refraction of light

angle of incidence
air glass

normal

angle of refraction

From a less dense to a denser medium e.g. from air to glass

Introduction

normal air glass

Light is bent towards the normal.

Introduction

From a denser to a less dense medium

e.g. from water to air

normal

water air
Light is bent away from the normal.

Relation between angle of incidence and angle of refraction sin i

i = angle of incidence r = angle of refraction O

sin r

straight line passing through the origin sin i is directly proportional to sin r.

Laws of refraction

Video

Simulation

Laws of refraction
The incident ray, the refracted ray, and the normal all lie in the same plane. normal

air glass glass

Laws of refraction
The ratio of the sin i to sin r is constant. i.e. sin i = constant sin r This is called Snells law.
In general,

n1 sin 1 = n2 sin 2

Refractive index
sin i refractive index n = sin r

sin a e.g. for glass, ang= sin g where a: air g: glass

Refractive indices of some materials

Material
Glass Water Perspex Diamond

Refractive index

Refractive index
1.5 1.7 1.33 1.5 2.42

Refractive index and speed of light

vacuum (or air) 3 108 m

water (n = 1.33) 2.25 108 m

glass (n = 1.5) 2 108 m

diamond (n = 2.42) 1.25 108 m

Refractive index and speed of light

fastest

vacuum (or air) 3 108 m

water (n = 1.33) 2.25 108 m

glass (n = 1.5) 2 108 m

Refractive index Speed of light

diamond (slowest n = 2.42) 1.25 108 m

Example 3
A ray of light passes from air into water. Angle of incidence = 30 What is angle of refraction in water? nwater = 1.33

30
air water

Example 3
Applying Snells law, nw sin w= na sin a 1.33 sin w = 1 sin 30 sin w = sin 30/1.33 = 0.376

30
air water

22.1

w = 22.1

Example 4
A ray of laser hits a rectangular block. The table gives a set of results. Notes: a = angles of incidence, g = angles of refraction.

a 15 30 45 60 75 g 11 18 28 34 40
(a) Is the refracted ray bent towards or away from the normal?

Towards

Example 4
(b) Find out how sin a and sin g are related by plotting a graph of sin a against sin g.

a 15 30 45 60 75 g 11 18 28 34 40
sina 0.259 0.500 0.707 0.866 0.966 sin g 0.191 0.309 0.470 0.559 0.643

Example 4
sin a 0.259 0.500 0.707 0.866 0.966 sin g 0.191 0.309 0.470 0.559 0.643 sin a 1.0 0.8

0.6 0.4 0.2

0

0.94 0.30 = 0.64 0.94 0.30 slope = = 1.52 0.62 0.20 0.62 0.20 = 0.42
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 sin g

Example 4
(c) Find the refractive index ng of the glass block in used in the experiment.

sin a Refractive index = sin = slope of graph g = 1.52

The refractive index of the glass block used is 1.52.

Q1 A boy shines a torch under

A boy shines a torch under water as shown. Which one shows the correct path of the light ray? A B C D Path X. Path Y. Path Z. All of them.

Q2 A beam of light travels air to

A beam of light travels from air to water. Which of the following is equal to the ratio sin r : sin i ? normal A B C D

nwater : 1 nair : 1 1 : nwater 1 : nair

air water

Q3 A light rays is incident on a

Which equation can be used to find ?
A B C D sin 30 sin = sin 20 sin 40 sin 30 sin 40 = sin 20 sin

A light ray is incident on a glass prism. 30

20 40

sin = 1.5 sin 40

sin 40 = 1.5 sin

Q4 True or false: When light is

True or false: When light is incident on a surface along the normal, only refraction occurs; there is no reflection. (T/F)

Q5 Statements:...
1st statement Light is bent towards the normal when it passes from air to glass. 2nd statement
Glass has a greater refractive index than air.

true? Yes

true?

Yes

4
a

Examples of refraction of light

Bent chopstick
The chopstick appears bent because of refraction

4
b

Examples of refraction of light

Shallower in water
The depth that the object is actually at is called the real depth.
I O

real depth

Simulation

4
c

Examples of refraction of light

Flickering objects in hot air
The object you see through the unstable hot air appears blurred and flickering.

Q1 True or false: Light slows

True or false: Light slows down when it enters a material from air. (T/F)

Q2 True or false: The refractive

True or false: The refractive index cannot be smaller than 1. (T/F)

Q3 True or false: If light travel

True or false: If light travel at the same speed in all materials, refraction would still occur when it passes from air to water. (T/F)

Q4 True or false: If the speed of

True or false: If the speed of light in raindrop is equal to that in air, there would be no rainbows. (T/F)

Q5 Sketch a ray diagram for the...

Sketch a ray diagram for the tip of the chopstick to show why the chopstick looks bent when dipped into water.