All Flashcards
What is the effect of light entering a medium with a higher index of refraction?
The light bends towards the normal and slows down.
What happens if the angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle when light tries to move from a higher to a lower index of refraction?
Total internal reflection occurs; all light is reflected back into the original medium.
What is the effect of increasing the difference in refractive indices between two media?
The amount of bending (refraction) of light increases.
What is the effect of light hitting a surface perpendicularly?
The light does not bend and passes straight through the surface.
What is the effect of light traveling from water to air at an angle less than the critical angle?
The light will refract away from the normal, and some light will be reflected.
What is the difference between refraction and reflection?
Refraction: Bending of light as it passes through a medium. | Reflection: Bouncing of light off a surface.
What is the difference between the angle of incidence and the angle of refraction?
Angle of Incidence: The angle between the incident ray and the normal. | Angle of Refraction: The angle between the refracted ray and the normal.
Compare and contrast internal reflection and total internal reflection.
Internal Reflection: Some light reflects at the boundary. | Total Internal Reflection: All light reflects at the boundary (occurs when the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle).
What is the effect of increasing the index of refraction on the speed of light in a medium?
The speed of light decreases.
What happens when light travels from a medium with a higher index of refraction to a lower one at an angle greater than the critical angle?
Total internal reflection occurs; the light is completely reflected back into the original medium.
What is the effect of light hitting a surface perpendicularly?
The light passes straight through without bending (no refraction).
What happens when light travels from air to water?
The light slows down and bends towards the normal.
What happens to the angle of refraction when light travels from a higher index of refraction to a lower index of refraction?
The angle of refraction increases, bending away from the normal.