12.
3 PERFORM AN ACTIVITY
The Refraction of Light through
Different Media
In Activity 12.2, you examined the refraction of light when it travelled
from air into a semicircular acrylic block. You also learned that light
bends toward the normal when it slows down in a medium. What
happens when light goes through different media? What can you learn
by examining and comparing refraction in different media?
Purpose
To explore how the angle of refraction changes in
different media.
Equipment and Materials
• semicircular plastic dish
• polar graph paper (or ruler and protractor)
• ray box with single slit
• water
• vegetable oil
• glycerol (optional)
• dish detergent (to clean vegetable oil residue on
plastic dish)
Procedure
SKILLS HANDBOOK
5., 6.
1. Place the semicircular dish at the centre of the
polar graph paper with its flat edge along the
horizontal centre line. Centre the semicircular
dish on the paper. The 0–180° line on the polar
graph paper now acts as the normal and passes
through the centre of the semicircular dish.
You will be projecting light rays at the exact
centre of the polar graph paper (the origin).
This experimental setup is identical to that in
Activity 12.2 (See Figure 1 on page 520).
522 Chapter 12 • The Refraction of Light
SKILLS MENU
Questioning Performing
Hypothesizing
Predicting
Observing
Analyzing
Planning Evaluating
Controlling Variables Communicating
2. Fill the dish with water.
3. Project a single ray of light at the centre of the
semicircular dish at an angle of incidence of 0°
(that is, you will be projecting along the normal).
Measure the corresponding angle that light
follows in the water in the semicircular dish.
(If polar graph paper is not available, you will
have to mark the path of the light rays with a
pencil and measure the appropriate angles later
with a protractor.)
4. Repeat step 3, but for angles of incidence in
air of 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, and 60°. Always
measure the angle of the refracted ray in the
semicircular dish with respect to the normal.
Record your results in a table similar to
Table 1. Accuracy is extremely important in this
experiment.
When unplugging the ray box, do not pull the electric cord.
Pull the plug itself.
5. Repeat steps 1 to 4, but this time put vegetable
oil in the semicircular dish. Enter your data in
the last row of your table. (Make sure that you
use the dish detergent to carefully clean the
vegetable oil from the semicircular dish after
completing step 5.)
NEL
Table 1 Refraction of Light in Different Media

Angle of incidence in air 0° 10° 20° 30° 40° 50° 60°

Angle of refraction in water
Angle of refraction in vegetable oil

Analyze and Reflect Apply and Extend

SKILLS HANDBOOK
1.D.
(a) Did the refracted ray bend toward the normal sin i using your
(e) As in Activity 12.2, calculate ______
sin R
• in the water? data for vegetable oil. T/I

• in the vegetable oil? T/I (f) With the exception of i = 0°, how does your
sin i for vegetable oil in compare
value of ______
(b) With the exception of an angle of incidence of 0°, sin R
compare the angles of refraction for water and for with the value for acrylic in Activity 12.2? T/I

vegetable oil for the same angles of incidence. T/I

(g) Could the method used in this activity be used
(c) What do your results tell you about the speed of to distinguish between two liquids that appear to
light in water or in vegetable oil compared with be identical? Explain. T/I

the speed of light in air? T/I

(h) Check your answer from part (g) by repeating
(d) In which medium, water or vegetable oil, did the steps 1 or 4 of the Procedure using glycerol. First
speed of light slow down more? T/I
check the MSDS for glycerol and follow any
necessary safety precautions. Record and analyze
your data as before. T/I

NEL 12.3 Perform an Activity 523