REFLECTION AND REFRACTION

By:
Cerrada, Carlos Jose
Gaborro, Mary Guinevere
Galve, Matthew Neil
Guison, Anna Dominique
Gupalor, Ma. Kim
Palma, Denise Marie
INTRODUCTION

REFLECTION
The change in direction of a wave front at an interface between two different media so
that the wave front returns into the medium from which it originated. Common examples
include the reflection of light, sound and water waves. The law of reflection says that for
specular reflection the angle at which the wave is incident on the surface equals the angle
at which it is reflected. Mirrors exhibit specular reflection.

Reflection of light is either specular (mirror-like) or diffuse (retaining the energy, but losing
the image) depending on the nature of the interface.

TWO KINDS OF REFLECTION

Specular Reflection
A type of surface reflectance often described as a mirror-like reflection of light from the
surface. In specular reflection, the incident light is reflected into a single outgoing
direction. The name specular is derived from the Latin word speculum, meaning mirror.

Specular reflection obeys the Laws of Reflection and the light is reflected from a smooth
surface at a definite angle. Specular reflection occurs for all polished and smooth
surfaces, like mirrors. The angle of reflection in specular reflection is equal to the angle
of incidence. Rough or unpolished surfaces are not good specular reflectors as they do
not reflect light at the same angle as the angle of incidence.

Diffuse Reflection
The reflection of light or other waves or particles from a surface such that a ray incident
on the surface is scattered at many angles rather than at just one angle as in the case of
specular reflection. An ideal diffuse reflecting surface is said to exhibit Lambertian
reflection, meaning that there is equal luminance when viewed from all directions lying in
the half-space adjacent to the surface.

A surface built from a non-absorbing powder such as plaster, or from fibers such as paper,
or from a polycrystalline material such as white marble, reflects light diffusely with great
efficiency. Many common materials exhibit a mixture of specular and diffuse reflection.

The visibility of objects, excluding light-emitting ones, is primarily caused by diffuse

reflection of light: it is diffusely-scattered light that forms the image of the object in the
observer's eye.

Laws of Reflection
If the reflecting surface is very smooth, the reflection of light that occurs is called specular
or regular reflection. The laws of reflection are as follows:
1. The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal to the reflection surface at the
point of the incidence lie in the same plane.
2. The angle which the incident ray makes with the normal is equal to the angle which
the reflected ray makes to the same normal.
3. The reflected ray and the incident ray are on the opposite sides of the normal.
Problems on Reflection
1. Light is incident on a flat surface, making an angle of 10 o with that surface,
as shown in the figure to the right. (a) What is the angle of
incidence? (b) What is the angle of reflection? (c) Sketch the path of the
reflected beam on the diagram.

Solution:
a. If the light makes an angle of 10o with the surface, it makes an angle of 80o with
the normal to the surface. Thus the angle of incidence is 80o.
b. According to the law of reflection, the angle of reflection equals the angle of
incidence. So the angle of reflection (measured to the normal) is 80o.
c. The path of the light is shown in the figure below.
2. Three initially parallel rays of light are incident at slightly different points on
a bumpy surface, as indicated in the figure to the right. The angles of
incidence are 15o for ray A (blue in figure), 31o for ray B (green), and 47o for
ray C (red). (a) What are the angles of reflection for the three rays? (b) Will
the three rays remain parallel after reflection? (c) Sketch the paths of the
reflected rays on the diagram.

Solution:
a. According to the law of reflection, the angle of reflection must equal the angle of
incidence for each ray. Thus ray A will have an angle of reflection of 15o, B will
have an angle of reflection of 31o, and the third will have an angle of reflection
of 47o.
b. No; the three rays will diverge after reflection. The divergence is due not only to
the differences in the angles of reflection, but also to the differences in the
directions of the normal at each incident point.
c. The figure below roughly indicates the paths of the three rays after reflection,
illustrating the divergence. The blue ray is reflected through an angle of 30° from
the initial path, the green ray is reflected through 62°, and the red ray is reflected
through a whopping 94° as compared to the initial path.
REFRACTION
The change in direction of wave propagation due to a change in its transmission medium.

The phenomenon is explained by the conservation of energy and the conservation of

momentum. Owing to the change of medium, the phase velocity of the wave is changed
but its frequency remains constant. This is most commonly observed when a wave
passes from one medium to another at any angle other than 0° from the normal.
Refraction of light is the most commonly observed phenomenon, but any type of wave
can refract when it interacts with a medium, for example when sound waves pass from
one medium into another or when water waves move into water of a different depth.

Refraction of Light Rays and Interfaces

Light rays travel in different mediums at different speeds. In vacuum, for example, light
travels at the speed of 3×108 m/s. This is the highest speed possible in physics.

One of the most important parameters that measures optical properties of a medium is
the index of refraction. It is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum (3×10 8 m/s)
and the speed of light v in the medium in question.

The refractive index measures the optical density of a given material. A material with
higher refractive is more optically dense than a material with lower refractive index.

𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐮𝐦 (𝐜)

𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒙 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 (𝒏) =
𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦 (𝐯)
Problems on Refraction (Light Rays and Interfaces)
1. What is the index of refraction in a medium where the speed of light is
1.5×108 m/s?

Given: c = 3×108 m/s

v = 1.5×108 m/s

Required: index of fraction (n)

Solution: n = 3×108 m/s / 1.5×108 m/s

n=2

2. What is the speed of light in water whose refractive index is 1.33?

Given: c = 3×108 m/s

n = 1.33

Required: speed of light in water (v)

Solution: 1.33 = 3×108 m/s / v

v = 3×108 m/s / 1.33
v = 2.26×108 m/s

Snell’s Law of Refraction

A homogeneous medium has a constant index of refraction throughout the medium and
light travels along straight paths in it. Refraction occurs at the interface or boundary of
two media with different refractive indices. It is the bending of light rays when transmitted
into the second medium.
1. The incident ray, the refracted ray and the normal to the interface at the point of
incidence are all included in the same plane called the plane of incidence.
2. n1 sin (i) = n2 sin (t)
Where n1 is the refractive index of medium (1), n2 is the refractive index of medium (2), i
is the angle of incidence and t is the angle of refraction as shown in the diagram above.

Problems on Refraction (Snell’s Law)

1. A ray of light is incident through glass, with refractive index 1.52, on an
interface separating glass and water with refractive index 1.32. What is the
angle of refraction if the angle of incidence of the ray in glass is 25°?

Given: n1 = 1.52
i = 25°
n2 = 1.32

Required: angle of refraction (t)

Solution: Use Snell’s Law - 1.52 sin 25° = 1.32 sin t

t = arcsin [(1.52/1.32) sin 25°]
t = 29.1°
DEFINITION OF TERMS

Reflection
The change in direction of a wave front at an interface between two different media so
that the wave front returns into the medium from which it originated.

Specular Reflection
A type of surface reflectance often described as a mirror-like reflection of light from the
surface.

Diffuse Reflection
The reflection of light or other waves or particles from a surface such that a ray incident
on the surface is scattered at many angles rather than at just one angle as in the case
of specular reflection.

Law of Reflection
Governs the reflection of light-rays off smooth conducting surfaces, such as polished
metal or metal-coated glass mirrors.

Refraction
The change in direction of wave propagation due to a change in its transmission medium.

Index of Fraction
The mount by which a transparent medium decreases the speed of light.

Speed of Light
Changes depending on the medium.

Snell’s Law
Also known as Snell-Descartes Law and the Law of Refraction. A formula used to
describe the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction, when referring
to light or other waves passing through a boundary between two different isotropic media,
such as water, glass, or air.
MINUTES OF GROUP ACTIVITY

Start Time: 10:30am; March 8, 2018 (Thursday)

Venue: Mini Canteen

Members Present:
Cerrada, Carlos Jose
Gabarro, Mary Guinevere
Galve, Matthew Neil
Guison, Anna Dominique
Gupalor, Ma. Kim
Palma, Denise Marie

Members Absent:
None

Announcements:
The teacher announced the assigned topics for each group and the group was tasked to
report about Reflection and Refraction. The leader immediately gathered the members
and designated the tasks for the reporting.

Assignments:
The leader equally distributed the tasks among the members and assigned each member
to research and present the following:

Cerrada - research about the information about the topic

Gaborro - definition of terms
Galve - research for the brief history of the topic
Guison - in charge for the PowerPoint presentation
Gupalor - explain the formula
Palma - definition of terms

Main Topic: Reflection and Refraction

Recapitulate:
 finish the PowerPoint presentation
 download the video
 study the assigned slides given to each member

End Time: 11:57 am; March 8, 2017 (Thursday)

Documentation:

Presented By: Ma. Kim Gupalor

Approved By: Carlos Jose Cerrada