LIGHT

Learning Objective: 5.3 Understanding Total Internal Reflection of Light

 REFRACTION
OF LIGHT

Recall

•Light ray bends toward the normal Light ray bends away from the normal
when the ray travel from a less dense as it travels from a denser medium to
medium to a denser medium, i > r. a less dense medium, i < r.
Sparkling of Diamonds
Learning Outcomes
Explain total internal
1 reflection of light

2 Define critical angle (c)

Activity
 Refraction of light by a
semi-circular block.
When a ray of light travels Refracted Ray
through a semi-circular block,
the ray will be refracted
r Angle of
Refraction

Angle of i
Incidence

Incident Ray
 Refraction of light by a
semi-circular block.
If increase the angle of Refracted Ray
incidence, angle of refraction
also increase
r Angle of
Refraction

Angle of i
Incidence

Incident Ray

As the incident ray approaches
the ‘critical angle’ (approximately
42o) the refracted ray travels at
right-angles to the normal.
The angle of refraction ,r=90o
The angle of incidence in the
denser medium is call critical
angle, c

r=90o Refracted Ray

i=c
Incident Ray
Reflected Ray
 Critical Angle, c

The critical angle, c, is defined as the angle

of incidence (in the denser medium) when
the angle of refraction (in the less dense
medium), r is 90o.
Refraction of light by a
semi-circular block.
If the incident ray now enters the block at an
angle greater than the critical angle (42o) no
light is refracted.

i>c
Incident Ray Reflected Ray
Refraction of light by a
semi-circular block.
If the incident ray now enters the block at an
angle greater than the critical angle (42o) no
light is refracted.

i>c
Incident Ray Reflected Ray

All light is now reflected at the boundary. This

is known as TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION
 If the incident ray now enters the block at an
Medium Critical
angle angle greater than the critical angle (42o)
(i > c) :
Water 49o
 no refraction
Perspex 42o
all the light is totally in the glass
Glass 41o
Diamond 24o

i>c
Incident Ray Reflected Ray

All light is now reflected at the boundary. This

is known as TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION
 Total Internal Reflection

Total internal reflection is the

complete reflection of light ray
travelling from a dense medium to a
less dense medium.

Total: because 100% of light is

reflected

Internal: because it happen inside the

glass / or denser medium.
.
The two conditions for total internal reflection
to occur are:

 Light ray enters from a denser medium

towards a less dense medium

 The angle of incidence in the denser medium

is greater then the critical angle of the medium.

(i > c).
EXERCISE
Lets do the questions!!!
Summary
Thank You 