SNC2D Snell’s Law Lab – Online Version

2022

Background information
The equation that relates the angle of incidence to the angle of refraction is called “Snell’s law,” and it can be written:

n1 sin ( θ1 ) =n2 sin ( θ 2 )

n1 is the index of refraction of the first material the light passes through
n2 is the index of refraction for the second material the light passes through
θ1 is the angle of incidence
θ2 is the angle of refraction

The sine of an angle, “sin”, is a specific number for each angle between 0 and 90 degrees that tells us something about
how wide the angle opens. (Acute angles with larger sines open more widely). You will learn more about sine in math
class later this year. For now, you only need to know how to find the sine of an angle using your calculator’s “sin” button.

Research Questions
We are going to verify if the refraction of light from our ray boxes through our prisms obeys Snell’s law. We are also
going to use Snell’s law to find the index of refraction for our prisms.

Rewrite these two goals as research questions:

a. __________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Materials
 A ray box and power supply
 A piece of protractor paper
 A semi-circular prism

Procedure
1. Gathering raw data
Use the video given to your group to measure angles of incidence and refraction over a range of values so that you get
5 sets of angles. Record these angle sets into Table 1 (page 3).

2. Processing your data

Using the sin button on your calculator, calculate the sines of all the angles you measured (both 𝜃1 and 𝜃2). Show
your values rounded correctly to three decimal places. This will generate five pairs of sine values that should go in
Table 2.

In the Calculations section (page 5), show a representative calculation for how Snell’s Law is used to find the index
of refraction for a given material. Write this calculated n value in the appropriate row in Table 2. Then calculate the
remaining n values (no need to show your work, you can use the rough work page if you like to write things out) and
add these to Table 2. These are your “processed data.” Remember to label the columns in Table 2 and add a
descriptive title.
Making a diagram of the apparatus

Draw a diagram of the set up used in your video (a top-view is best). Fully label the diagram, including each piece of
equipment, and the normal, incident ray, refracted ray, angle of incidence (𝜽𝒊), angle of refraction(𝜽𝒓), and interface
between media.

Figure 1: _________________________________________________

Observations
2
Table 1: _________________________________________________

Angle set

Note that all data was collected for an incident ray in air and nair = 1.00

Table 2: _________________________________________________

Angle set Calculated

nmaterial

Avg value

Max value

Min value

Sample

size

* see calculation section for a representative calculation of n material.

Known index of refraction for the material, nmaterial =

3
Analysis
Testing if Snell’s Law accurately predicts an n-value
Make a bar graph to compare the the average n value for the substance used to make your semi-circular prism (Table 2)
with the known n- value for the substance used to make your semi-circular prism. Choose an appropriate scale for your
graph. Add the two bars, then add a small line above and below your average n-value to show the max and min values
(labelling the lines as “max” or “min”). Include a figure #, a descriptive title for your graph, and label your axes.
(The grid below is 20 x 20)

Figure 2: _______________________________________________________

4
Calculations:

Include a well-formatted equation using the format developed in class.

Use a well-labelled diagram as your info section. Your diagram should include normal, medium 1, medium2, incident ray,
refracted ray, and known information about each component of the general equation you use. Put a “?” mark next to the
n-value you are trying to calculate so the reader knows what you are calculating.

Calculating nmaterial:

Conclusion:
a. Based on your analysis of your graph, did Snell’s law accurately predict n material? Explain how you know. (You must
refer to specific aspects of your graph to receive full credit)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

b. Based on your measruements and calculations,

i) What was the average (avg) index of refraction of your prism: _____________ (Table 2)

ii) Which measured value is a good estimate of the highest that n material might be?

_________________________

iii) Which measured value is a good estimate of the lowest that n material might be?

5
_________________________

Give a 1-2 sentence explanation for your answer to (i) and (ii)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

c. Suggest reasons that making numerous measurements of nmaterial is useful and why considering the max and min
values can be useful.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

d. Based on your understanding of the concept “index of refraction” (for instance, n = c/v), discuss why your calculated
value of nmaterial makes sense or does not make sense. Your discussion should comment on the direction the refracted
ray bent and something about why you would not expect to have found an nmaterial value less than the n-value given for
air.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Additional space for writing (clearly indicate which part of conclusion, with c, d, e)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

6
SNC2D Snell’s Law Lab, In-class Version 2022

Background information
The equation that relates the angle of incidence to the angle of refraction is called “Snell’s law,” and it can be written:

n1 sin ( θ1 ) =n2 sin ( θ 2 )

n1 is the index of refraction of the first material the light passes through
n2 is the index of refraction for the second material the light passes through
θ1 is the angle of incidence
θ2 is the angle of refraction

The sine of an angle, “sin”, is a specific number for each angle between 0 and 90 degrees that tells us something about
how wide the angle opens. (Acute angles with larger sines open more widely). You will learn more about sine in math
class later this year. For now, you only need to know how to find the sine of an angle using your calculator’s “sin” button.

Research Questions
We are going to verify if the refraction of light from our ray boxes through our prisms obeys Snell’s law. We are also
going to use Snell’s law to find the index of refraction for our prisms.

Rewrite these two goals as research questions:

c. __________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

d. _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Materials
 A ray box and power supply
 A piece of protractor paper
 A semi-circular prism

Procedure
1. Gathering raw data
As we practiced in class, use the the ray box, protractor paper, and semi-circular prism to measure refraction through a
prism. Record the angle of refraction for 5 different angles of incidence. Make sure you shine the light from the prism,
into the air. Record these angle sets into Table 1 (page 3).

2. Processing your data

Using the sin button on your calculator, calculate the sines of all the angles you measured (both 𝜃1 and 𝜃2). Show
your values rounded correctly to three decimal places. This will generate five pairs of sine values that should go in
Table 2.

In the Calculations section (p. ), show a representative calculation for how Snell’s Law is used to find the index of
refraction for a given material. Write this calculated n value in the appropriate row in Table 2. Then calculate the
7
 remaining n values (no need to show your work, you can use the rough work page if you like to write things out) and
add these to Table 2. These are your “processed data.” Remember to label the columns in Table 2 and add a
descriptive title.
Making a diagram of the apparatus

Draw a diagram of the set up used in your video (a top-view is best). Fully label the diagram, including each piece of
equipment, and the normal, incident ray, refracted ray, angle of incidence (𝜽𝒊), angle of refraction(𝜽𝒓), and interface
between media.

Figure 1: _________________________________________________

8
Observations
Table 1: _________________________________________________

Angle set

Note that all data was collected for an incident ray in air and nair = 1.00

Table 2: _________________________________________________

Angle set Calculated

nmaterial

Avg value

Max value

Min value

Sample

size

* see calculation section for a representative calculation of n material.

9
Known index of refraction for the material, nmaterial =

Analysis
Testing if Snell’s Law accurately predicts an n-value
Make a bar graph to compare the the average n value for the substance used to make your semi-circular prism (Table 2)
with the known n- value for the substance used to make your semi-circular prism. Choose an appropriate scale for your
graph. Add the two bars, then add a small line above and below your average n-value to show the max and min values
(labelling the lines as “max” or “min”). Include a figure #, a descriptive title for your graph, and label your axes.
(The grid below is 20 x 20)

Figure 2: _______________________________________________________

10
Calculations:

Include a well-formatted equation using the format developed in class.

Use a well-labelled diagram as your info section. Your diagram should include normal, medium 1, medium2,
incident ray, refracted ray, and known information about each component of the general equation you use.
Put a “?” mark next to the n-value you are trying to calculate so the reader knows what you are calculating.

Calculating nmaterial:

Conclusion:
a. Based on your analysis of your graph, did Snell’s law accurately predict n material? Explain how you know. (You must
refer to specific aspects of your graph to receive full credit)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

b. Based on your measruements and calculations,

i) What was the average (avg) index of refraction of your prism: _____________ (Table 2)

ii) Which measured value is a good estimate of the highest that n material might be?

11
_________________________

iii) Which measured value is a good estimate of the lowest that n material might be?

_________________________

Give a 1-2 sentence explanation for your answer to (i) and (ii)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

c. Suggest reasons that making numerous measurements of nmaterial is useful and why considering the max and min
values can be useful.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

d. Based on your understanding of the concept “index of refraction” (for instance, n = c/v), discuss why your calculated
value of nmaterial makes sense or does not make sense. Your discussion should comment on the direction the refracted
ray bent and something about why you would not expect to have found an nmaterial value less than the n-value given for
air.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Additional space for writing (clearly indicate which part of conclusion, with c, d, e)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

12
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

13