Refraction

Mr. Jerome S. Manalo, LPT

 Refraction
• When a wave crosses a boundary
between Medium 1 and Medium 2,
the wave changes direction because
it changes velocity.

• Frequency remains constant.

• Velocity changes as a result of

wavelength change.
 Refraction
• It is the change in the direction of
light when it passes from one
medium to another of different
optical density.

• It occurs at the boundary

between the two media as a
result of the change in the speed
of light upon crossing the
boundary.
Refraction
 Example
Incident
Ray Less Rigid
Medium

More Rigid
Medium
Refracted
ray bends
towards
the
Refracted Ray normal.
 Index of Refraction, n

• The index of refraction of a

substance is the ration of the
speed of light in a vacuum to
that in the substance.
 Index of Refraction, n
n=c/v

• c : the speed of light in a vacuum,

3 x 108  m/sec
• v : speed of light in the medium.
• n : medium's index of refraction

• n>1 (Why?)
Indices of Refraction
Vacuum 1.00
Air 1.0003
Water 1.33
Ethanol 1.36
Crown glass 1.52
Quartz 1.52
Diamond 2.42
 Note
• The speed of light has a lower speed
in a more optically dense medium.
 Problem
• What is the index of refraction in
quartz?
• What is the index of refraction in
diamond?
• What is the index of refraction in
ethanol?
 Snell’s Law

• n1 sin 1 = n2 sin 
 Note
When the incident ray travels from
a less optically dense medium
(low n)
to
a more optically dense medium
(higher n)

then the refracted ray bends

towards the normal.
 Problem
• What is the angle of refraction when
a ray from air with an angle of
incidence of 50 o is incident to water?
• Draw the ray diagram.
 Problem
• Find the critical angle for a light ray
that is incident from water to air, if
the angle of refraction for air is 25
degree.