180 likes | 378 Views
Dispersion. Dispersion. ~separating white light into the spectrum This can be done with refraction. Light bends when it enters a new medium. Each color bends a little bit differently. red bends the least, violet bends the most.
E N D
Dispersion • ~separating white light into the spectrum • This can be done with refraction. • Light bends when it enters a new medium. • Each color bends a little bit differently. • red bends the least, violet bends the most. • If you use an appropriately shaped piece of glass, plastic or other transparent material you can separate the colors.
Diagram of a prism The triangle shape maximizes the separation. White light A complete picture looks like this
Rainbows • Raindrops can also disperse light Sunlight Raindrop If we zoom way out of this diagram… It reflects back here
Our raindrop is here Rainbows You only see green here At this height you only see red, all other colors pass over your head. Sunlight comes in But there are lots of raindrops Cleaning this image up some.
Rainbows You only see red here You only see green here You only see violet here The other colors are in between. All other colors either pass over you or under you.
Total internal reflection • This is not actually reflection, it is refraction. • ~bending of light when it changes mediums • This bending can cause the light to never leave the medium. • So it appears to reflect instead of refract. • This is called total internal reflection. • Critical angle- minimum angle of incidence required for TIR to occur.
Diagrams of total internal reflection (TIR) TIR at critical angle Regular refraction TIR
Where you see total internal reflection (TIR) • Diamonds • They are cut so light can not get out except for the top facets • You get flashes of light (sparkles) from certain facets • It also disperses giving you several colors
Diamonds until it hits the top (the only place that gives it a chance to get out) White light come in This is greater than the critical angle (24.6o from the normal for a diamond) It will continually TIR and disperse
Fiber Optics • “light pipes” TIR light across a fiber. • -like shooting a bullet through a pipe. • fibers are made of a plastic or bendable glass. • Fiber optic tubes can be used to illuminate hard to reach places. • like for noninvasive surgery
Fiber optic tubes light comes in here and leaves here
Carrying information • Fiber optic fibers carry light impulses just like wires carry electrical impulses. • Except thin fiber optic fibers can carry more information than thick copper wires. • Also fiber optic fibers don’t corrode • very useful in undersea cables
Homework • Pg 598-9 • 22-30