Refraction of Light

1. Refraction of Light • Light changes direction (bends) as it crosses a boundary between 2 media in which the light moves at different speeds. • Amount of refraction of light depends on properties of media (material type, temperature or density) and angle at which it hits the boundary.

2. Examples of Light Refraction • Pond or pool looks shallower than it actually is • Straw or spoon in a glass appears bent • White light comes out of prism as rainbow • Air above hot stove seems to shimmer • Stars twinkle

3. More on Refraction of Light • Light waves travel faster in air than in water and slower in glass than water. • More dense = slower light • When light enters a different medium, speed changes and it bends. • Bending of light due to change in speed = REFRACTION

4. Index of Refraction The index of refraction(n) of a medium is equal to the speed of light in a vacuum divided by the speed of light in the medium. n = c v In a vacuum, n is equal to 1. The largern is, the slower light will travel through a substance.

5. Snell’s Law of Refraction • Though you will not be required to work problems using this formula, it is important to know that you can calculate the incident or refracted angle of light mathematically using Snell’s Law of Refraction.

6. Journal #37 5/7/12 WHAT IS THE SPEED OF LIGHT INA DIAMOND THAT HAS AN INDEX OF REFRACTION OF 2.42? THE PICTURE BELOW REPRESENTS LIGHT GOING FROM A (MORE OR LESS) DENSE MEDIUM TO A (MORE OR LESS) DENSE MEDIUM.

7. Critical Angle and Total Internal Reflection When light passes from a substance with a higher index of refraction to a lower index of refraction (such as from water to air), an interesting phenomenon can occur. If the angle of incidence is increased too much, the incident light will bend so greatly that it cannot escape the substance. This phenomenon is called totalinternalreflection. The angle at which this happens is referred to as the criticalangle.

8. Critical Angle and Total Internal Reflection Figure a: Ray A is partially refracted and partially reflected. Figure b: Ray B is refracted along the boundary of the medium and forms the critical angle.

9. Critical Angle and Total Internal Reflection Figure C: An angle of incidence greater than the critical angle results in the totalinternalreflection of Ray C, which follows the law of reflection.

10. Fiber Optics Fiberoptics use total internal reflection. Light is totally internally reflectedover and over many times.

11. Advantages of Fiber Optic Technology Used to get light to inaccessible places such as car engines, inside a patient’s body, and in communications transmitting telephone messages – replacing electrical circuits and microwave links in communication technology Can carry more info in high frequencies of visible light than in lower frequency electricalcurrent Thin glass fibers replace bulky expensive copper cables – more practical in weight, size, cost

12. Journal #38 5/8/12 Use the concave and convex Lenses on your table. Start with the Lens very close to your eye and slowly back it away. Describe the changes to your image until the mirror is a full arm’s length away.

13. Lenses • A lens is made of transparent material, such as glass or plastic, with an index of refraction largerthan that of air, causing light to bend (refract) as it passes through it. • A lens has a curved surface on one or both sides.

14. Types of Lenses • Plano-convex • Double-convex • Plano-concave • Double-concave

15. Convex vs. Concave lenses • A convexlens causes parallel light rays to eventually converge and a concavelens causes parallel light rays to eventually diverge.

16. 2F F F 2F Convex Lens: Beyond 2F Check Line Image is real, inverted, and reduced.

17. F 2F 2F F Convex Lens: @ 2F Image is real, inverted, and samesize. Check Line

18. Convex Lens: Between FP and 2F 2F F F 2F Check Line Image is real, inverted, and enlarged.

19. F 2F F 2F Convex Lens: @FP No image is formed. Check Line

20. F 2F 2F F Convex Lens: Between FP and Lens Check Line The refracted light rays diverge. The image forms on the same side of the lens at the object. The image is virtual, upright, and enlarged.

21. The Concave Lens The Concave Lens Rays diverge after they hit the lens. Image will always be virtual, upright, and reduced. Check Line F F

22. Applications that Use Lenses • Hand lenses/Magnifying glasses • Projectors • Refracting telescopes • Binoculars • Cameras • Microscopes • Corrective Eyeglasses and Contact lenses

23. Nearsightedness • Nearsightedness (Myopia) occurs when the eyeball is too long, so focal length is too short. • Image forms in front of the retina; causes distant objects to be blurry. • Corrected by a concave lens that forces light to diverge to a farther point on back of retina.

24. Farsightedness • Farsightedness (Hyperopia) occurs when the eyeball is too short so focal length is too long, also happens with aging as muscles holding the shape of lens relax and allow it to flatten. • Image forms behind wall of the retina; causes objects located close to the eye to become blurry. • Corrected by convex lens that forces light to converge at a closer point on the back of retina.

25. Lens Chart

26. Lens Chart Answers -