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Ref Rection

Refraction is the change in light direction when passing between transparent media due to speed changes, with key concepts including incident and refracted rays, angles of incidence and refraction, and the laws governing these phenomena. The refractive index determines how light behaves in different media, with applications in optical devices like lenses and fibers. Critical angle and total internal reflection are essential for understanding light behavior in denser to rarer media.

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2 views5 pages

Ref Rection

Refraction is the change in light direction when passing between transparent media due to speed changes, with key concepts including incident and refracted rays, angles of incidence and refraction, and the laws governing these phenomena. The refractive index determines how light behaves in different media, with applications in optical devices like lenses and fibers. Critical angle and total internal reflection are essential for understanding light behavior in denser to rarer media.

Uploaded by

dheeru
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Chapter: Refraction at Plane Surfaces

1. What is Refraction?

Definition

Refraction is the change in the direction of light when it passes obliquely


from one transparent medium to another because its speed changes.

Remember: Light bends due to change in speed, not because of a


change in frequency.

Examples

 A pencil appears bent in water.

 A coin in water appears raised.

 The bottom of a swimming pool appears shallower.

 Spectacles and camera lenses work on refraction.

2. Important Terms

Incident Ray

The ray of light falling on the surface.

Refracted Ray

The ray of light after entering the second medium.

Normal

An imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence.

Angle of Incidence (i)

Angle between incident ray and normal.

Angle of Refraction (r)

Angle between refracted ray and normal.

3. Laws of Refraction

First Law

The incident ray, refracted ray and the normal lie in the same plane.

Second Law (Snell's Law)


sin i
=n
sin r
where
 i = Angle of incidence

 r = Angle of refraction

 n = Refractive Index

4. Refractive Index
c
Absolute Refractive Index n=
v
where

 c = Speed of light in vacuum

 v = Speed of light in the medium


n2
Relative Refractive Index n21=
n1

5. Optically Denser & Rarer Medium

Optically Denser Optically Rarer

Higher RI Lower RI

Lower speed of light Higher speed

Light bends towards Light bends away from


normal normal

6. Refraction Rules

Air → Glass

 Speed decreases

 Wavelength decreases

 Light bends towards the normal.

Glass → Air

 Speed increases

 Wavelength increases

 Light bends away from the normal.

Normal Incidence

If i=0 ∘

Then r =0∘
No bending occurs.
7. Frequency, Speed and Wavelength

During
Quantity
Refraction

Frequency Constant

Speed Changes

Waveleng
Changes
th

Using v=fλ
Since frequency remains constant,

Speed ∝ Wavelength

8. Rectangular Glass Slab

Properties

 Light refracts twice.

 Emergent ray is parallel to incident ray.

 A sideways shift occurs.

This shift is called

Lateral Displacement

Factors affecting it

 Thickness of slab

 Angle of incidence

 Refractive index

9. Apparent Depth

An object inside water appears raised.


Real Depth
Apparent Depth=
n

Hence

Real Depth > Apparent Depth

10. Critical Angle


Critical angle is the angle of incidence in the denser medium for which
angle of refraction becomes
∘
90
Formula
1
sin ⁡C=
n
(for air as rarer medium)

11. Total Internal Reflection (TIR)

Conditions

✅ Light must travel

Denser → Rarer medium

AND

✅ Angle of incidence >

Critical Angle

Applications

 Optical Fibre

 Endoscope

 Diamond sparkle

 Prism

 Binocular

 Periscope

12. Formula Sheet

Snell's Law
sin i
=n
sin r

Absolute RI
c
n=
v

Relative RI
n2
n21=
n1

Apparent Depth
RD
AD=
n

Real Depth
RD=n × AD

Critical Angle
1
sin ⁡C=
n

13. One-Minute Revision

✔ Refraction = Change in direction due to change in speed.

✔ Frequency remains constant.

✔ Wavelength changes.

✔ Air → Glass → Towards normal.

✔ Glass → Air → Away from normal.

✔ Glass slab → Emergent ray parallel.

✔ Apparent depth < Real depth.

✔ Critical angle → Refraction at 90°.

✔ TIR → Denser → Rarer and i>C .

✔ Optical fibre works on TIR.

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