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PHYS 2202 LAB: Physics II

Week 11

Reflection and Refraction-ONLINE VERSION ADDENDUM

by

Naeamah Rabeea

Due Date: 22/04/2021

Submission’s Date: 22/04/2021

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Objective

The main objective of this lab is to study the refraction and reflection of light for various
incidence angles and interfaces.

Equipment Used

This is an online version of the lab and no lab equipment is used to perform this lab.

Theory

The angle of refraction of a ray moving from one interface to another can be calculated from
Snell’s law equation shown below.

n1 sin θ1=n 2 sin θ2 … ..(1)

From the above eq (1), n1 is the incident index, n2 is the refracted index, θ1 is the incident
angle and θ2 is the refracted angle.

The velocity of the ray when it is entered into the second interface can be calculated from the
equation below.

c
v= … ..(2)
n

When the angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle, total internal reflection occurs
and it can be calculated from the equation shown below.

θc =sin−1
( )
n2
n1
… ..(3)

Index of refraction of the glass prism can be calculated from the equation shown below.

1
sin ( D+ A )
2
n= … ..(4 )
1
sin( A )
2

Procedure

We will open the following link to perform the experiment.

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/bending-light/latest/bending-light_en.html
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We will open the intro screen and will measure the angle of refraction for angles of
incidences 20, 30, 40 and 50 degrees for Air-Water, Air-Glass and Water-Glass interface.
Then, we will calculate the angle of refraction for 20, 30, 40 and 50-degree angles of
incidences using Snell’s law. Then, we will calculate and record the velocity of the three rays.
Then, we will record all the results in tabular form. Then, we will use the More Tools screen
to perform a refraction by switching on the laser for the two interfaces Air-MysteryA and
Air-MysteryB for 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70-degree angles of incidences. Then, we will plot
the sinθ2 vs sinθ1 graph and record the slope to find the refractive indices of these two
substances. Then, we will use the water-air interface calculate the angle of refraction for
angles of incidence 45 degrees, 47 degrees, 49 degrees and 50 degrees to observe and record
the total internal reflection. Then, we will calculate the critical angle for the Water-Air,
Glass-Air and Glass-Water interfaces. Then, we will use the Prisms screen and 50-degree
angle of incidence for a glass prism and measure the angle of the prism. Then, we will
calculate the angle of deviation of the prism and refractive index of glass. Finally, we will
repeat the above steps for another angle of incidence and will record the results.

Data Analysis

PART IA Snell’s Law for Air-Water interface

Angle of Incidence Angle of Refraction Theoretical Angle Velocity (c)

(degrees) (degrees) of Refraction
(degrees)
20 14.9 14.86 0.75
30 22 22.02 0.75
40 28.8 28.82 0.75
50 35.1 35.07 0.75

Snell’s Law: n1 sin θ1=n 2 sin θ2

Incident index: n1=1

Refracted index: n2 =1.333

For incident angle: θ1=20o

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θ2=sin
−1
( n1
n2 )
sin θ1 =sin
−1
(
1
1.333
o
sin 20 =14.86
o
)
For incident angle: θ1=30o

θ2=sin
−1
( n1
n2 )
sin θ1 =sin
−1
(
1
1.333
o
sin 30 =22.02
o
)
For incident angle: θ1=40o

θ2=sin
−1
( n1
n2 )
sin θ1 =sin
−1
(
1
1.333
o
sin 40 =28.82
o
)
For incident angle: θ1=50 o

θ2=sin−1
( n1
n2 )
sin θ1 =sin−1
1
(
1.333
sin 50o =35.07o )
c 1c
v= = =0.75 c
n 1.333

PART IA Snell’s Law for Air-Glass interface

Angle of Incidence Angle of Refraction Theoretical Angle Velocity

(degrees) (degrees) of Refraction
(degrees)
20 13.2 13.22 0.67c
30 19.5 19.52 0.67c
40 25.4 25.42 0.67c
50 30.7 30.72 0.67c

Snell’s Law: n1 sin θ1=n 2 sin θ2

Incident index: n1=1

Refracted index: n2 =1.5

For incident angle: θ1=20o

θ2=sin
−1
( n1
n2 )
sin θ1 =sin
−1 1
(
1.5
o
)
sin 20 =13.22
o
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o
For incident angle: θ1=30

θ2=sin
−1
( n1
n2 )
sin θ1 =sin
−1 1
(
1.5
o
)
sin 30 =19.52
o

For incident angle: θ1=40o

θ2=sin−1
( n1
n2 )
sin θ1 =sin−1
1
1.5( )
sin 40 o =25.42o

For incident angle: θ1=50 o

θ2=sin
−1
( n1
n2 )
sin θ1 =sin
−1 1
(
1.5
o
)
sin 50 =30.72
o

c 1c
v= = =0.67 c
n 1.5

PART IA Snell’s Law for Water-Glass interface

Angle of Incidence Angle of Refraction Theoretical Angle Velocity

(degrees) (degrees) of Refraction
(degrees)
20 17.8 17.82 0.5c
30 26.4 26.42 0.5c
40 34.9 34.92 0.5c
50 42.9 42.92 0.5c

Snell’s Law: n1 sin θ1=n 2 sin θ2

Incident index: n1=1.333

Refracted index: n2 =1.5

For incident angle: θ1=20o

θ2=sin
−1
( n1
n2 )
sin θ1 =sin (
−1 1.333
1.5
o
sin 20 =17.82
o
)
For incident angle: θ1=30o
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θ2=sin
−1
( n1
n2 )
sin θ1 =sin (
−1 1.333
1.5 )o
sin 30 =26.42
o

For incident angle: θ1=40o

θ2=sin
−1
( n1
n2 )
sin θ1 =sin (
−1 1.333
1.5 )o
sin 40 =34.92
o

For incident angle: θ1=50 o

θ2=sin
−1
( n1
n2 )
sin θ1 =sin (
−1 1.333
1.5 )o
sin 50 =42.92
o

c 0.75 c
v= = =0.5 c
n 1.5

PART IB (Unknown refracting indices) for Air-MysteryA interface

Angle of Angle of sinθ1 sinθ2 Velocity

Incidence Refraction
(degrees) (degrees)
20 8.1 0.34 0.14 0.41c
30 11.9 0.5 0.21 0.41c
40 15.4 0.64 0.26 0.41c
50 18.5 0.76 0.32 0.41c
60 21.0 0.86 0.35 0.41c
70 22.9 0.93 0.38 0.41c
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Slope: m = 0.4057

So, Slope = sinθ1/sinθ2 = n which gives the refractive index of MysteryA around 2.44.

PART IB (Unknown refracting indices) for Air-MysteryB interface

Angle of Angle of sinθ1 sinθ2 Velocity

Incidence Refraction
(degrees) (degrees)
20 14.2 0.34 0.245 0.71c
30 20.9 0.5 0.356 0.71c
40 27.4 0.64 0.46 0.71c
50 33.2 0.76 0.547 0.71c
60 38.2 0.86 0.618 0.71c
70 42.2 0.93 0.671 0.71c
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Slope: m = 0.723

So, Slope = sinθ1/sinθ2 = n which gives the refractive index of MysteryB around 1.38.

PART II Total Internal Reflection (a)

Angle of Incidence Angle of Refraction Angle of Reflection

(degrees) (degrees) (degrees)
45 70.3 45
47 76.9 47
49 - 49
50 - 50

PART II Total Internal Reflection (b)

Angle of Incidence Angle of Refraction Angle of Reflection

(degrees) (degrees) (degrees)
48.5 87.2 48.5
48.55 87.3 48.55
48.60 - 48.6
48.65 - 48.65

PART III Critical Angle for Water-Air interface

n1=1.333, n2 =1
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θc =sin
−1
( )
n2
n1
=sin
−1
( 1
1.333 ) o
=48.6 which is the same as measured experimentally.

PART III Critical Angle for Glass-Air interface

n1=1.5, n2 =1

θc =sin
−1
( )
n2
n1
=sin
−1
( )
1
1.5
=41.8
o

PART III Critical Angle for Glass-Water interface

n1=1.5, n2 =1.333

θc =sin
−1
( )
n2
n1
=sin (
−1 1.333
1.5 )
=62.7
o

PART IV Prism for 50 degrees angle of incidence

Angle of deviation from the protractor: 73.5 degrees

Refractive index of Glass = 1.5

Questions

c 1c
For Air-Water interface, v= = =0.75 c makes sense because the speed of light is less
n 1.333
in water due to its high refractive index (1.33) as compared to the refractive index of air (1).

c 1c
For Air-Glass interface, v= = =0.67 c makes sense because the speed of light is less in
n 1.5
glass due to its high refractive index (1.5) as compared to the refractive index of air (1).
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c 0.75 c
For Water-Glass interface, v= = =0.5 c makes sense because the speed of light is less
n 1.5
in glass due to its high refractive index (1.5) as compared to the refractive index of water
(1.33).

For Part IB (Unknown refracting indices), sinθ1 should be on x-axis and sinθ2 should be on y-
axis.

For PART II Total Internal Reflection, it was observed that the ray gets refracted for angles
45 degrees and 47 degrees and for 49 degrees and 50 degrees, total internal reflection occurs
which suggests that the angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle. Moreover, the ray
gets refracted for angles 48.5 degrees and 48.55 degrees and for angles above 48.55 degrees,
total internal reflection occurs which suggests that the angle of incidence becomes greater
than the critical angle.

Conclusion

We performed this lab to study the refraction and reflection of light for various incidence
c
angles and interfaces. The formulas used in the lab were n1 sin θ1=n 2 sin θ2, v= and
n

θc =sin
−1
( )
n2
n1
. All the theoretical and experimental results and obtained graphs are listed in

the tabular form in the data analysis section of the report. It was observed that for interfaces
with high refractive index, the speed of light ray decreases. Moreover, total internal reflection
occurs when the angle of incidence becomes greater than the critical angle.