Worksheet 6

Light Practice
***Under Construction....
1. Given the following diagram, calculate the index of refraction for the material.
Also, which of the following types of glass is the block made of?
1-2
Type of Glass n
Fused quartz 1.46
Crown glass 1.52
Light flint 1.58
Heavy flint 1.65
5. Total internal reflection occurs once the critical angle for a substance has been met or
exceeded. If a material has a higher critical angle, does this mean that light moves
slower, or faster? Explain your answer with reference to the example of diamonds and
zirconia.
6. How is a mirage an example of total internal reflection?
7. What is one technological application of total internal reflection?
8. Determine the speed of light in block B. Assume the light enters from air.
9. Snells Law compares the ratios of the sines of the angles of incidence and refraction.
This ratio equals the index of refraction. If a material bends light more, does it slow light
down more as well?
10. Light traveling from Material A with n=1 into Material B with n=1.30 would:
a) slow down and bend away from the normal
b) slow down and bend towards the normal
c) speed up and bend away from the normal
d) speed up and bend towards the normal
11. List the colours of the visible spectrum in order of increasing energy.
12. How is a rainbow an example of dispersion and of internal reflection?
13. Define the following terms, and give an explanation for each in terms of the theory of
light. Reflection, rectilinear propagation, refraction, diffraction, diffuse and specular
reflection, index of refraction, laws of reflection, Snells Law.
14. Calculate the speed of light in the following media:
a) Flint glass (n = 1.91)
b) Crown glass (n = 1.50)
c) Ethyl alcohol (n = 1.36)
15. Calculate the refractive index for a substance if the speed of light in that medium is:
a) 2.6 X 10 m/s
8
b) 1.2 X 10 m/s
8
c) 0.48c
16. Calculate the angle of refraction for light as it passes from air to each of the following
media, at an angle of 45:
a) Ice (n = 1.30)
b) Water (n = 1.33)
c) Flint glass (n = 1.91)
17. Calculate the angle of incidence for an angle of refraction of 25 for:
a) Zircon (n = 1.90) to water.
b) Water to ice.
c) Diamond (n = 2.42) to flint glass.
18. An angle of incidence of 30 in water results in an angle of refraction of 19.
a) Is the second medium more or less optically dense than the first medium?
b) What is the refractive index of the second medium?
c) What is the speed of light in BOTH the first and the second medium?
19. Calculate the critical angles for the following refractive indices (assume it is in air).
a) 1.21
b) 1.76
c) 2.43
d) 1.84
20. Calculate the critical angle for:
a) Zircon to water.
b) Diamond to ice.
c) ice to water.
21. a) Calculate the speed of a galaxy that has a known wavelength of 500 nm and an
observed wavelength of 580 nm.
b) Is this a red or blue shift?
c) Is this galaxy moving away from us or towards us?
22. For the following wavelengths of light, calculate the corresponding frequency:
a) Red, 650 nm
b) Yellow, 580 nm.
c) Blue, 475 nm.
23.