TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION
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Teacher Name Student Name
Roll No: O1
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ABC INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
XYZ Road Civil Lines, Delhi- 11223S
C ERTI F ICATE
This is ta certifi that
Smdent Yome
has successfully completed hislher Physics projec! filled
TOTAL iN reRi•iaL REFLEC TION
under the supervisian and guidance of
in the partial fulfillment of the Physics
practical assessment conducted during the
academic year 2O25-2O28.
EXT E R N A L EXA M I N E R T EAC H E R I N C HA RG E
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my immense gratitude to my
Physics teacher Teacher Name liir the help and guidance
he/she provided for completing this project.
I also thank my parents who gave their ideas and inputs in
making this project. Most of all I thank our school
management, for providing us the facilities and opportunity
to do this project.
Lastly, I would like to thanks my classmates who have done
this project along with me. Their support made this project
fruitful.
- Student Name
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TOPIC
Investigatory Project on Total
Internal Rejection
Air
Total
cal i internal
Retracted !
reflection
Water
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INDEX
CONTENT PAGE NO.
CERTIFICATE 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 3
TOPIC 4
INTRODUCTION 6
OPTICAL DESCRIPTION 7
CRITICAL ANGLE 8
PHASE SHIFT UPON TIR 9
TIR IN DIAMOND 10
APPLICATION OF TIR 11
TIR USING SODA BOTTLE 13
PRECAUTION 17
BIBLIOGRAPHY 18
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INTRODUCTION
Total internal reflection is an optical phenomenon that happens
when a ray of light strikes a medium boundary at an angle larger
than a particular critical angle with respect to the normal to the
surface. If the refractive index is lower or the other side of the
boundary and the incident angle is greater than the critical angle, no
light can pass through and all of the light is reflected. The critical
angle is the anglc of incidence above which the total internal
reflectance occurs.
When a light beam crosses a boundary between materials with
different kinds of refractive indices, the light beam will be partially
refracted at the boundary surface, and partially reflected. However,
if the angle of incidence is greater (i.e. the ray is closer to being
parallel to the boundary) than the critical angle — the angle of
incidence at which light is refracted such that it travels along the
boundary — then the light will stop crossing the boundary altogether
and instead be totally reflected back internally. This can only occur
where light travels from a medium with a higher [n1=higher
refractive index] to one with a lower refractive index [n2=lower
refractive index]. For example, it will occur when passing from glass
to air, but not when passing from air to glass.
Air
Total internal
angle reflection
’Z
Water
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OPTICAL DESCRIPTION
Total internal reflection can be demonstrated using a semi-circular
block of glass or plastic. A "ray box" shines a narrow beam of light
(a "ray") onto the glass. The semi-circular shape ensures that a ray
pointing towards the centre of the flat face will hit the curved
surface at a right angle; this will prevent refraction at the air/glass
boundary of the curved surfacc. At the glass/air boundary of the
flat surface,
what happens will depend on the angle? Where is c he critical
angle measurement which is caused by the sun or a light source
(measured normal to the surface):
S If < c• the ray will split. Some of the ray will reflect off
the boundary, and some will refract as it passes through. This
is not total internal reflection.
H If 8 > 8C, the entire ray reflects from the boundary. None passes
through. This is called total internal reflection.
This physical property makes optical fibres useful and prismatic
binoculars possible. It is also what gives diamonds their distinctive
sparkle, as diamond has an unusually high refractive index.
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CRITICAL ANGLE
The critical angle is the angle of incidence above which total
internal reflection occurs. The angle of incidence is measured with
respect to the normal at the refractive boundary (see diagram
illustrating Snell's law). Consider a light ray passing from glass
into air. The light emanating from the interface is bent towards the
glass. When the incident angle is increased sufficiently, the
transmit(Gd angle (in air) reaches 90 degrees. It is at this point no
light is transmitted into air.
The critical angle is given by Snell's law.
•1 sin 8, = • sin *t
Rearranging Snell's Law, we get incidence
To find the critical angle, we find the value for B; when 8i — 90O
and thus, sin 8 = 1.
The resulting value of is equal to the critical angle c
Now, we can solve for 8; , and we get the equation for the critical
angle:
8c 8 ¿ —— sin*1 J)
If the incident ray is precisely at the critical angle, the refracted ray
is tangent to the boundary at the point of incidence. If for example,
visible light is travelling through acrylic glass (with an index of
refraction of 1.50) into air (with an index of refraction of 1.00), the
calculation would give the critical angle for light from acrylic into
air,
which is
pg — 1.
i
) = 41. 8 °
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PHASE SHIFT UPON TOTAL
INTERNAL REFLECTION
A lesser-known aspect of total internal retlection is that the reflected
light has an angle dependent phase shift between the reflected and
incident light. Mathematically this means that the Fresnel reflection
coetficient becomes a complex rather than a real number. This
phase shift is polarization dependent and grows as the incidence
angle deviates further from the critical angle toward grazing
incidence. The polarization dependent phase shift is long known
and was used by Fresnel to design the Fresnel rhomb which allows
transforming circular polarization to linear polarization and vice
versa for a wide range of wavelengths (colours), in contrast to the
quarter wave plate. The polarization dependent phase shift is also
the reason why TE and TM guided modes have different dispersion
relations.
41+
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TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION IN
DIAMOND
From glass to air the critical angle is about 42° but it varies from
one medium to another. The material that gives the smallest critical
angle is diamond. That is why they sparkle so much! Rays of light
can easily be made to 'bounce around inside them' by careful cutting
of the stone and the refraction at the surfaces splits the light into a
spectrum of colours! Relatively speaking, the critical angle 24. 4°
for the diamond- air boundary is extremely small. This property of
the diamond-air boundary plays an important role in the brilliance
of a diamond gemstone. Having a small critical angle, light has the
tendency to become "trappe nside of a diamond once it enters.
Most rays approach thC diamond at anglcs of incidcncc greater than
the critical angle (as it is so small) so a light ray will typically
undergo TIR several times before finally refracting out of the
diamond. This gives diamond a tendency to sparkle. The effect can
be enhanced by the cutting of a diamond gemstone with a
'strategically' planned shape.
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APPLICATIONS OF TOTAL
INTERNAL REFLECTION
Total internal reflection is the operating principle of optical
fibres, which are used in endoscopes and telecommunications.
Total internal reflection is the operating principle of automotive
rain sensors, which control automatic windscreen/windshield
wipers.
Another application of total internal reflection is the spatial
filtering of light.
Prismatic binoculars use the principle of total internal reflections
to get a very clear image.
Gonioscopy employs total internal reflection to view the
anatomical angle formed between the eye's cornea and iris.
Optical fingerprinting devices use frustrated total internal
reflection in order to record an image of a person's fingerprint
without the use of ink.
A Total internal reflection fluorescence microscope uses the
evanescent wave produced by TIR to excite fluorophores close
to a surface. This is useful for the study of surface properties
of biological samples.
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EXAMPLES IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Total internal reflection can be observed while swimming, when
one opens one s eyes just under the water's surface. If the water is
calm, its surface appears mirror-like. One can demonstrate total
internal reflection by filling a sink or bath with water, taking a glass
tumbler, and placing it upside-down over the plug hole (with the
tumbler comply(G1y filled with watcr). WhilG Water remains both in the
upturned tumbler and in the sink surrounding it, the plug hole and plug
are visible since the angle of refraction between glass and water is not
greater than the critical angle. If the drain is opened and the tumbler
is kept in position over the hole, the water in the tumbler drains out
leaving thc glass filled with air, and this then acts as the plug.
Viewing this from above, the tumbler now appears mirrored because
light reflects off the air/glass interface. This is different
phenomenon from reflection and refraction. Reflection occurs when
light goes back in same medium. Refraction occurs when light travels
from different mediums. Here both are not happening. This is due to
both and a mixture of both. Another common example of total
internal reflection is a critically cut diamond. This is what gives it
maximum spark.
How a turtle experience TIR from inside water/sea
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TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION
USING A SODA BOTTLE
Explanation In this case, ^ n' ,r 1i 00s Sp ar' er 1• 33
Therefore:
sin ¿1. 00
1
$1. 33) 48. 7 °
Air
In this demo, light will continually reflect through the stream of water
creating total internal reflection (TIR). The stream of water will 'carry'
the light though, to the end of the stream.
laser beam
t
Total Internal Reflection is the principle behind fiber optics.
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MATERIALS REQUIRED
O•Empty soda pop bottle (2 Litre)
O•Tape
O•Hand drill
O•Drill bits
O•Water
O•Green laser
O•Bucket
O•Old books etc for stands
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PROCEDURE
0 First set up the soda bottle by drilling a hole near the bottom
of the bottle. Begin with a drill bit that has a diameter which
is slightly larger than the diameter of the laser that will be
used. We used a 1/4-inch drill bit, however sizes as small as
7/32 inch worked as well.
2 liter
binder bottle
clip
Ri ser
bucket
0 First tape the hole and then fill the bottle with water. The
cap will prevent leaking because it creates a vacuum in the
bottle.
O Stand the soda bottle on top of a stack of books so the hole is
facing the bucket. The laser should be placed in a binder clip
so it stays on, and then set on a stack of books and papers.
The laser should be lined up so that the laser light goes
through the soda bottle, and into the centre of the hole. See
for details.
O Carefully remove the tape and then unscrew the top of the soda
bottle. The light should reflect within the stream of water so
that
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you could see at least a few points of reflection. The light
should be visible through the entire stream.
O If the reflections of the light aren't clear, it may be necessary
to expand the hole by drilling through the existing hole with a
larger drill bit. This process may need to be repeated several
times.
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PRECAUTION
This is a messy experiment. Be ready to adjust the bucket
which catches the stream of water.
Also, be aware that the stream's curvature will change as the
water level decreases. It will bend closer to the bottle, and the
bucket may need to be adjusted again. When the water level is a
little above the hole there will be no total internal reflection
although the stream will continue. Place the cap back on, or put
the bottle inside of the bucket.
Make sure to have lots of paper towels! Towels or rags could
be useful too. However, this mess is water, and therefore easy
to clean up.
Some resources suggest putting a drop of food coloring in the
bottom of the bucket to match the laser light, giving the
appearance that the water has permanently 'trapped' the coloured
light.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
• [Link]
• Google search engine
• [Link]
• [Link]
• Physics NCERT book for class XII
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