SINHGAD TECHNICAL EDUCATION SOCIETY’S

SINHGAD SPRING DALE PUBLIC SCHOOL

VADGAON (BK.)-411041
SENIOR SECONDARY

Sinhgad institutes
PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

NAME : Omkar Khanderaya Khaire

STANDARD : XII-B
ROLL NUMBER : 17
SUBJECT : PHYSICS
SUBMISSION TO : Mrs. JYOTI DEORE

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 CERTIFICATE
THIS TO CERTIFY THAT THIS PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY IS
DEVELOPED BY OMKAR KHAIRE OF CLASS 12 DIVISION B
ROLL.NO 15 ON THE TOPIC
TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION IN WATER FILLED BOTTLE
HE HAS DEVELOPED THIS JOURNAL SUCCESSFULLY UNDER MY
GUIDANCE AS PRESCRIBED BY THE AISSCE COURSE DURING THE
SESSION 2023-24

Internal Examiner External Examiner

Principal

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It would be my utmost pleasure to express my sincere thanks to my physics teacher
Mrs. Jyoti Deore in providing a helping hand in this project. Her valuable
guidance, support and supervision all through this project are responsible for
attaining its present form.
I am also thankful to our principal Mrs. Smita Sawant Ma’am for being a constant
source of motivation, which enabled me to do a lot of research for this project and
learn new things.
I would also like to thank my parents and friends as they encouraged me to put
forward my project.
I would also like to thank our lab assistant Mr. Nitin lamb sir for their continuous
guidance towards this project.

OMKAR KHAIRE,
XII-B, SSDPS, Vadgaon.

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 INDEX
Sr.no Topic Pg.no

1 Introduction 5
2 Optical Description 6
3 Critical Angle 7
4 Material Required 8
5 Procedure 9
6 Calculation 10
7 Precaution 11
8 Biblography 12

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 INTRODUCTION
Total Internal Reflection is an optical phenomenon that happens when a ray of
light strikes a medium boundary at an angle larger than a particular critical angle
with respect to the normal to the surface. If the refractive index is lower on the
other side of the boundary and the incident angle is greater than the critical angle,
no light can pass through and all of the light is reflected. The critical angle is the
angle is the angle of incidence above which the total internal reflectance occurs.
When a light beam crosses a boundary between materials with different kinds of
refractive indices, the light beam will be partially refracted. However, if the angle
of incidence is greater (i.e. the ray is closer to being parallel to the boundary) than
the critical angle – the angle of incidence at which light is refracted such that it
travels along the boundary altogether and instead be totally reflected back
internally. This can only occur where light travels from a medium with a higher
[n1 = higher refractive index] to one with a lower refractive index [n2 = lower
refractive index]. For example, it will occur when passing from glass to air, but not
when passing from air to glass.

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 OPTICAL DESCRIPTION
Total Internal Reflection can be demonstrated using a semi-circular block of glass
or plastic. A “ray box” shines a narrow beam of light (a “ray”) onto the glass. The
semi-circular shape ensures that a ray pointing towards the centre of the flat face
will hit the curved surface at a right angle; this will prevent refraction at the
air/glass at the curved surface. At the glass/air boundary of the flat surface, what
happens will depend on the angle? Where is Ɵc the critical angle measurement
which is caused by the sun or a light source (measured normal to the surface):
 If Ɵ < Ɵc , the ray will split. Some of the ray will reflect off the boundary,
and some will refract as it passes through. This is not total internal
reflection.
 If Ɵ > Ɵc , the entire ray reflects from the boundary. None passes through.
This is called total internal reflection.
This physical property makes optical fibers useful and prismatic binoculars
possible. It is also what gives diamonds their distinctive sparkle, as diamond has an
unusually high refractive index.

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 CRITICAL ANGLE
The critical angle is the angle of incidence above which total internal reflection
occurs. The angle of incidence is measured with respect to the normal at the
refractive boundary (see diagram illustrating Snell’s law). Consider a light ray
passing from glass into air. The light emanating from the interface is increased
sufficiently, the transmitted angle (in air) reaches 90 degrees. It is at this point no
light is transmitted into air. The critical angle is given by Snell’s law.
n1sinƟi = n2sinƟt

Rearranging Snell’s Law, we get incidence

Sin Ɵi = n2/n1 sin Ɵt

To find the critical angle, we find the value for Ɵi when Ɵt = 90o and thus sinƟt =1 .the
resulting value of is equal to the critical angle Ɵc . Now we can solve for Ɵi , and we
get the equation for the critical angle:
Ɵc = Ɵi =sin-1(n2/n1)

If the incident ray is precisely at the critical angle, the refracted ray is tangent to
the boundary at the point of incidence.

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 MATERIAL REQUIRED
 A plastic bottle (2 lit)
 A laser
 Water
 Old books, etc for stands

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 PROCEDURE
1. Make a small hole at the curved side of bottle little above its bottom.
2. Press on hole and fill the bottle and close it.
3. Now put a leaser behind the bottle pointing towards hole parallel to ground.
4. On the laser light and open the cap of bottle.
5. You can see that light bent while water is falling from bottle.

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 CALCULATION
In this case, nair = 1.00 , nwater = 1.33. therefore:
1.00
𝜃𝑐 = sin−1 ( )
1.33
𝜃𝑐 = 48.7𝑜

In this demo light will continually reflect through the stream of water creating total
internal reflection (TIR). The stream of water will ‘carry’ the light through, to the
end of the stream.

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 PRECAUTION
 This is a messy experiment. Be ready to adjust the bucket which catches the
stream of water.
 Also, be aware that the stream’s curvature will change as the water level
decreases. It will bend closer to the bottle, and the bucket may need to be
adjusted again. When the water level is little above the hole there will be no
total internal reflection although the stream will continue. Place the cap back
on, or put the bottle inside of the bucket.
 Make sure to have lots of paper towels! Towels or rags could be useful too.
However, this mess is water, and therefore easy to clean up.
 Some resources suggest putting a drop of food coloring in the bottom of the
bucket to match the laser light, giving the appearance that the water has
permanently ‘trapped’ the coloured light.

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 BIBLOGRAPHY
 www.sciencebuddies.org
 www.leverageedu.com
 www.adda247.com
 www.seminarsonly.com
 www.examfeed.com

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