AWS-PEIAL-T3C-refraction+TIR-V1.1.

(PEAL-2021-JUNE-WH12-B-13). The refractive index of glass varies with the colour of light.
refractive index of glass for red light = 1.513
refractive index of glass for violet light = 1.532
(a) A ray of white light is incident on side AB of a rectangular glass block, as shown.

The red light and violet light from the incident ray arrive at slightly different points on side CD.
Determine the distance between these points. (5) 批注 [炜1]: Use of n1sinθ1 = n2sinθ2 (1)
r for violet light = 31.9° or r for red light = 32.3°(1)
Use of trigonometry to calculate horizontal distances whilst in
block (1)
For violet, distance = 3.98 cm or for red, distance = 4.05 cm
(1)
Distance between points = 0.070 cm / 0.70 mm (1)
(If working is only shown to 2 significant figures, the
distances will come out to be the same. This can score MP1-4
only if all the working is clearly shown) (For MP1, allow use
of n = sin i / sin r) (If candidate has the n values the wrong
Distance between points = ______ way round, MP1 can still be awarded if equation used
(b) White light is incident on a boundary between glass and air, as shown. correctly otherwise)

1 / 11
Explain what happens to the red light and the violet light when meeting the boundary.
Your answer should include calculations.
(4) 批注 [炜2]: Use of n1sinθ1 = n2sinθ2(1)
Calculates nsinθ as 0.99 for red Or 1.01 for violet(1)
Red light refracts out of the glass as nsinθ < 1(1)
Violet light undergoes total internal reflection as nsinθ > 1(1)
(If candidate has the n values the wrong way round, MP1 can
still be awarded if equation used correctly otherwise)
OR
Use of sin C = 1/n(1)
Critical angle for violet = 40.7° Or critical angle for red =
41.4°(1)
Red light refracts out of the glass as C > i(1)
Violet light undergoes total internal reflection as C < i(1)

(PEAL-2021-JAN-WH12-B-15). A physics teacher placed a coin at the bottom of a cup.

When viewing the cup from an angle, the coin was not visible, as shown in Photograph 1.

While still observing from the same angle, the teacher slowly poured water into the cup.
The coin gradually became visible, as shown in Photograph 2.

This effect is caused by refraction.

(a) Explain what is meant by refraction. (2) 批注 [炜3]: Change of direction (of a ray of light) (1)
Due to change in speed/density/medium/material/RI(1)
(MP1 – do not allow “bending”, but allow “deviation”)

2 / 11
(b) The simplified diagram below shows how a ray of light travels from the edge of the coin to the
teacher’s eye, when the cup is partially filled with water.

Determine the refractive index of the water in the cup. (3)

批注 [炜4]:

Refractive index of water = ______

(PEAL-2020-OCT-WH12-B-11). A block of glass is submerged in a container of water. A ray of

light travelling in the water is directed towards the glass surface as shown.

refractive index of water = 1.33

refractive index of glass = 1.52

3 / 11
(a) Calculate the angle of refraction within the glass block when θ = 43.0°. (2)

批注 [炜5]:
Angle of refraction = ______
(b) Determine the critical angle for light at a glass-water boundary. (2)

批注 [炜6]:
critical angle = ______

(PEAL-2020-OCT-WH12-B-16). The speed of sound in sea water varies with depth as shown in
diagram A.

Sound produced at a depth of 900 m initially travels towards the water surface. As the sound
approaches a depth of 700 m it changes direction and follows the path shown to the point P in
diagram B.

4 / 11
(a) Explain why the sound follows the path shown in diagram B.
Your answer should refer to refraction and diagram A. (5) 批注 [炜7]: Idea that when waves rise from 900 m depth they
speed up
Or indication that speed at 700m is greater than at 900m
(1)
Curving is due to the change in speed being gradual
Or not a sudden change in direction as there is no sudden
change in speed. (1)
Waves are refracted away from the normal (1)
Angle of incidence reaches/exceeds the critical angle (at
700m)
Or angle of refraction becomes 90° (at 700m) (1)
(At 700 m, total internal) reflection takes place (allow TIR)
(1)

(b) Sound that travels in a straight line from the source to point P takes longer to arrive than sound
that travels along the path shown in diagram B.
Suggest why. (2) 批注 [炜8]: Path in diagram B is a longer (distance)
Or straight line path is a shorter (distance) (1)
Sound waves travel faster on path in diagram B
Or sound waves travel slower on straight line path
Or sound waves travel faster at 700m than at 900m (1)

(c) Suggest two factors that might cause the speed of sound to vary with the depth of the sea. (2) 批注 [炜9]: Any two from:
(Change in) temperature in the sea (1)
(Change in) pressure in the sea (1)
(Change in) density/salinity of the sea (1)

5 / 11
(PEAL-2020-JAN-WH12-B-15). A water wave approaches a boundary between deep water and
shallow water and is refracted. The diagram shows how the direction of travel of the wave changes

(a) Explain why the wave is refracted as shown, as it travels from deep water into shallow water. 批注 [黄10]: There is a decrease in speed/velocity (1)
You may add to the diagram. (2) Part of the wavefront meets the boundary before the rest
(1)
(Ignore references to density and refractive index) (Allow
MP2 for correct addition to the diagram by eye for
wavefronts both before and after the boundary)

(b) When waves travel across the surface of water, their speed v is dependent on the depth d of the
water and the wavelength λ of the waves.

(i) Calculate the angle of refraction r. (5)

wavelength of waves in deep water = 15 m
depth of deep water = 10 m
depth of shallow water = 0.50 m
angle of incidence = 40°

批注 [黄11]:

6 / 11
(ii) In 1933, the crew of the US Navy ship USS Rampo took measurements from one of the largest
waves ever recorded. The wavelength of the wave was 342 m and the time period was 14.8 s.
Show that the depth of the water where the crew measured the wave was greater than 170 m. (3)

批注 [黄12]:

(PEAL-2019-OCT-WH12-B-18). When an incident ray of light meets a boundary between air and
glass, some of the light is reflected and some is refracted, as shown.

The reflected light is partially plane polarised.

(a) State what is meant by plane polarised. (2) 批注 [炜13]: Vibrations/oscillations in one plane
which includes the direction of wave travel

Or
Vibrations/oscillations in one direction
perpendicular to the direction of wave travel
(b) Deduce whether the refracted ray is unpolarised or partially plane polarised. (2)
批注 [炜14]: The refracted ray lacks the planes of oscillation
in the reflected light.
Or the refracted ray has a plane of polarisation perpendicular
to the plane of polarisation of the reflected light (1)
So, the refracted ray must also be partially plane polarized
(1)
(MP2 conditional on awarding MP1)

(c) At the Brewster angle θB, the reflected light is completely plane polarised.
This occurs when the reflected ray and the refracted ray are at right angles to each other, so θB + r =

7 / 11
90°

(i) Show that tan θB = ng/na (3)

na = refractive index of air
ng = refractive index of glass

批注 [炜15]:

(ii) Calculate θB for light passing from air into glass. (2)
refractive index of air = 1.00
refractive index of glass = 1.50

批注 [炜16]:

θB = ______
(iii) Different colours of visible light are refracted as they pass through a prism as shown.

A student suggests that the Brewster angle for violet light would be smaller than that for red light,
as violet is refracted more than red.
Criticise this suggestion. (2)
批注 [炜17]:

8 / 11
(PEAL-2019-JUNE-WH12-B-18). An endoscope is a medical device that can be used to see inside
the digestive system.
The endoscope contains bundles of very fine glass fibres. Light is directed into the fibres
to illuminate the part of the digestive system being investigated.
Light travels along the glass fibres by total internal reflection.

(a) State the conditions required for total internal reflection to occur. (2) 批注 [炜18]: For light travelling in a more (optically) dense
substance and meeting a less (optically) dense substance
Or for light travelling a material with higher RI and meeting
one with a lower RI (1)
Angle of incidence is greater than (or equal to) the critical
angle (1)
(b) A ray of light is incident on the end of a glass fibre and refracts as it enters the glass.
Explain why the light refracts as it enters the glass. (2) 批注 [炜19]: Wave slows down as it enters the glass
Part of the wave(front) meets the glass first, so wave direction
changes
OR
Refractive index of glass is greater than that of air Or Density
(c) The diagram shows a ray of light being totally internally reflected at one side of a glass fibre and of glass is greater than that of air
then refracting as it leaves the end of the fibre. The angle of incidence at the boundary between the So angle of incidence is greater than the angle of refraction
glass fibre and air is equal to the critical angle C for the glass-air interface. The ray enters water as (accept “bends towards the normal”)
it leaves the glass fibre.

9 / 11
Determine the angle θ between the emerging ray and the normal. (4)

批注 [炜20]:
(PEAL-2019-JAN-WH12-B-14). A refractometer can be used to measure refractive index. A
refractometer makes use of the total internal reflection of light at a boundary between two materials.
(a) Describe the conditions required for total internal reflection to take place at a boundary. (2) 批注 [黄21]: Light must reach a boundary travelling in a
medium of higher refractive index towards one of lower
refractive index
Or light must reach a boundary at which velocity would
increase in the second medium
(b) One type of refractometer is shown. Or light travelling in more dense medium towards a less
A sample of liquid is placed on one side of a semicircular glass prism. A ray of light is shown passing dense [rarer] medium (1)
into the prism. Angle of incidence must be greater than (or equal to) the
critical angle (1)

Determine whether this ray will be totally internally reflected from the boundary between the prism
and the liquid.
liquid μ glass = 1.15 (3)
批注 [黄22]:

10 / 11
(c) The graph shows how the refractive index sugar solution μ glass varies with the mass of
sugar dissolved in a fixed volume of water.

Explain why the critical angle would have to be measured to a precision of more than two significant 批注 [黄23]: Clear link between a mass change and a change
figures in order to determine the sugar content to the nearest gram. (2) in refractive index
e.g. A 1 gram change corresponds to (~)0.001 change in
refractive index
Or a calculation of gradient (1)

Comment that (to two sig figs) the refractive index values do
not change across the range of the graph
Or
Data used in the graph (for refractive index values) are given
to more than two sig figs. (1)

11 / 11