Experiment 9.

Index of Refraction and Critical Angle

Table 1. Index of Refraction

n1 : 1.52
n2 : 1.00

Trial Angle of incidence, θ1 Angle of Refraction, θ2 Speed of light n

medium 1, v
m
deg deg s
1 7.50 11.44 1.97 ×10 8
2 15.0 23.17 1.97 ×10 8
3 22.5 35.57 1.97 ×10 8
4 30.0 49.46 1.97 ×10 8
5 35.0 60.67 1.97 ×10 8
6 40.0 77.7 1.97 ×10 8
Ave. 1.97 ×10 8

Graph A here:

Index of Refraction
sinθ1 vs sinθ2
1.2
Angle of Refraction (deg)

1
f(x) = 1.52 x
0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
Angle of Incidence (deg)
 Index of Refraction
sinƟ1 vs. sinƟ2
0.7
0.6 f(x) = 0.66 x
0.5
sinƟ1 (deg.)

0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1
sinƟ2 (deg.)

1. What relationship exist between sin θ1 and sin θ2?

There is a direct linear relationship between sin θ1 and sin θ2

2. What is of the slope of the graph? What is the physical significance of the slope?

m=1.5159

Physical Significance of the slope:

m=n1

3. From the graph, calculate the n1 based from the slope.

m=n1
n1 =1.5159≈ 1.52

4. Using the n1 (from Q3), calculate the speed of light in n1.

Speed of light
c
v=
n
m
3.00 × 108
s m
v= =1.97 × 108
1.52 s

5. When light travels from water to air, how does light bend relative to the normal?

Since the value of the index of refraction of water is greater than air (n1 > n2), the light
bends away from the normal.
 Table 2. Critical Angle

Material Index of Critical Angle, Speed of light in

Refraction, (deg) the material ,
(m/s)
acetone 1.36 47.4 2.21 ×108
typical crown glass 1.52 41.2 1.97 ×10 8
sodium Chloride 1.54 40.5 1.95 ×108
sapphire 1.77 34.5 1.69 ×108
diamond 2.42 24.5 1.24 ×10 8

Graph B here:
(BASED FROM PROCEDURE)

Index of Refraction
nmaterial vs. sinƟc
3
2.5
2 f(x) = − 3.36 x + 3.75
nmaterial

1.5
1
0.5
0
0.35 0.4 0.45 0.5 0.55 0.6 0.65 0.7 0.75 0.8
sinƟc (deg.)

Index of Refraction
nmaterial vs. sinƟc
0.8
0.7
f(x) = − 0.29 x + 1.1
0.6
sinƟc (deg.)

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2 2.4 2.6
nmaterial
(BASED FROM WORKSHEET)

Index of Refraction
nmaterial vs. Ɵc

3
2.5
2 f(x) = − 0.05 x + 3.5
nmaterial

1.5
1
0.5
0
20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Ɵc (deg.)

Index of Refraction
nmaterial vs. Ɵc
50
45
40 f(x) = − 20.3 x + 72.57
35
30
Ɵc (deg.)

25
20
15
10
5
0
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2 2.4 2.6
nmaterial

6. What relationship nmaterial against θc ?

There is a negative linear relationship between nmaterial and θc

7. Between water and ice, in which material is θc greater?

 Ice has greater θc compared to water
Graph C here:

(BASED FROM PROCEDURE)

Index of Refraction
vmaterial vs. Ɵc
250000000
200000000 f(x) = 4794841.92 x
vmaterial

150000000
100000000
50000000
0
20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Ɵc

Index of Refraction
vmaterial vs. Ɵc
50
40 f(x) = 0 x
30
Ɵc

20
10
0
100000000 150000000 200000000 250000000
vmaterial

(BASED FROM WORKSHEET)

Index of Refraction
vmaterial vs. nmaterial
250000000
200000000 f(x) = − 87131938.85 x + 331285262.43
vmaterial

150000000
100000000
50000000
0
1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2 2.4 2.6
nmaterial
 Index of Refraction
vmaterial vs. nmaterial
3
2.5
2 f(x) = − 0 x + 3.75
nmaterial

1.5
1
0.5
0
100000000 150000000 200000000 250000000
vmaterial

8. What relationship exist between index of refraction and speed of light?

There is a negative linear relationship between index refraction and speed of light.

9. Between water and ice, in which material is the speed of light relatively slower?

Since nwater > nice, the speed of light is relatively slower in water than in ice.

Problems:

10. A light beam in air hits a sheet of crown glass (n=1.52) at an angle of 30.0°. At
what angle is the light beam refracted?

n1 =1.00 ;n2 =1.52 ; θ1=30.0 °

n1 sin θ1=n 2 sin θ2

n1 sinθ 1 n2 sin θ2
=
n2 sin n2 sin

n1 sinθ 1 −1 (1)(sin ( 30 ) )
θ2=sin
−1
( n2 ) =sin ( 1.52 ) =19.2°

11. A ray of light in air (n=1.00) strikes a block of quartz at an angle of incidence of 30° .
The angle of refraction of refraction is 20° . What is the index of refraction of the quartz?

n1 =1.00 ; θ1=30 ° ; θ2=20°

n1 sin θ1=n 2 sin θ2

 n1 sinθ 1 n2 sin θ2
=
sin θ2 sin θ 2
n 1 sin θ1
n2 =
sin θ2

(1)( sin ( 30 ))
n2 = =1.46
sin ⁡( 20)