Indices of Refraction of Some

Common Materials
Materials Index of Refraction
Air 1.0
Water 1.33
Glass 1.50
PROBLEM1
PROBLEM2
A ray of light enters a pane of glass at 50° to the
horizontal. If the index of refraction of glass is
1.5, what will the angle of the refracted ray be?
Solution:
Given: Ɵ2 = sin-1 ( n1sinƟ1 / n2)
n1 = 1.0 = sin-1 (1.0sin50 / 1.5)
n2 = 1.5 = sin-1 ( 1.0X0.766 / 1.5)
Ɵ1 = 50 = sin-1 (0.511)
= 31
Find:
Ɵ2 = ?
PROBLEM3

Given: Solution:
n1 = 1.0 Ɵ2 = sin-1 ( n1sinƟ1 / n2)
n2 = 1.33 = sin-1 (1.0sin36 / 1.33)
Ɵ1 = 36 = sin-1 ( 1.0X0.588 / 1.33)
= sin-1 (0.442)
Find: = 26
Ɵ2 = ?
Given: Solution:
n1 = 1.0 Ɵ2 = sin-1 ( n1sinƟ1 / n2)
n2 = 2.42 = sin-1 (1.0sin60 / 2.42)
Ɵ1 = 60 = sin-1 ( 1.0X0.866 / 2.42)
= 21
Find:
Ɵ2 = ?
Given: Solution:
n1 = 1.0 n2 = ( n1sinƟ1 / sinƟ2)
Ɵ1 = 50 = (1.0sin50 / sin40)
Ɵ2 = 40 = ( 1.0X0.766 /0.643)
= 1.19
Find:
n2 = ?
Given: Solution:
n1 = 1.0 Ɵ2 = sin-1 ( n1sinƟ1 / n2)
n2 = 1.33 = sin-1 (1.0sin60 / 1.33)
Ɵ1 = 60 = sin-1 ( 1.0X0.866 / 1.33)
= 41
Find
Ɵ2 = ?
4. Light travels from air into an optical fiber with an index of refraction of 1.44. 
(a)  In which direction does the light bend?  (b)  If the angle of incidence on the
end of the fiber is 22o, what is the angle of refraction inside the fiber?  (c) 
Sketch the path of light as it changes media.

5. Light traveling through an optical fiber (n=1.44) reaches the end of the
fiber and exits into air.  (a)  If the angle of incidence on the end of the fiber is
30o, what is the angle of refraction outside the fiber? 

6. A ray of light is incident through glass, with refractive index 1.52, on an

interface separating glass and water with refractive index 1.32. What is the
angle of refraction if the angle of incidence of the ray in glass is 25 °?
4. Light travels from air into an optical fiber with an index of refraction of 1.44. 
(a)  In which direction does the light bend?  (b)  If the angle of incidence on the
end of the fiber is 22o, what is the angle of refraction inside the fiber?  (c) 
Sketch the path of light as it changes media.

a. Since the light is traveling from a rarer region (lower n) to a denser region
(higher n), it will bend toward the normal.
b. We will identify air as medium 1 and the fiber as medium 2.  Thus, n1 =
1.00, n2 = 1.44, and θ1= 22o
Solution:
Ɵ2 = sin-1 ( n1sinƟ1 / n2)
= sin-1 (1.0sin22 / 1.44)
= sin-1 ( 1.0X0.866 / 1.44)
= 15
5. Light traveling through an optical fiber (n=1.44) reaches the end of the
fiber and exits into air.  (a)  If the angle of incidence on the end of the fiber is
30o, what is the angle of refraction outside the fiber? 

a. Since the light is now traveling from the fiber into air, we will
call the fiber material 1 and air material 2.  Thus, n1 = 1.44, n2 =
1.00, and θ1 = 30o. 
Notice that this time, the angle of refraction
Solution:
is larger than the angle of incidence. 
Ɵ2 = sin-1 ( n1sinƟ1 / n2)
= sin-1 (1.44sin30 / 1.0)
= sin-1 ( 1.44X0.5 / 1.0) The light is bending away from the normal
= 46 as it enters a rarer material.
6. A ray of light is incident through glass, with refractive index 1.52, on an
interface separating glass and water with refractive index 1.32. What is the
angle of refraction if the angle of incidence of the ray in glass is 25 °?

Given:
n1 = 1.52
n2 = 1.32
Ɵ1 = 25
Solution:
Ɵ2 = sin-1 ( n1sinƟ1 / n2)
Find
= sin-1 (1.52sin25 / 1.32)
Ɵ2 = ?
= sin-1 ( 1.52X0.5 / 1.32)
= 29
7. What should be the angle of incidence of a light ray incident through air on
the boundary separating air from water so that the angle of refraction is 30 °?
(refractive index of air is 1 and that of water is 1.32)

Given:
n1 = 1.0
n2 = 1.32
Ɵ2 = 30
Solution:
Ɵ1 = sin-1 ( n2sinƟ2 / n1)
Find
= sin-1 (1.32sin30 / 1.0)
Ɵ1 = ?
= sin-1 ( 1.32X0.5 / 1.0)
= 41
Medium Index of Refraction (n)
Air/vacuum 1.00
Ice 1.31
Water 1.33
Ethyl alcohol 1.36
Vegetable oil 1.47
Acrylic 1.49
Glass 1.52
Diamond 2.42
1. Using Snell’s law, determine the constant when the angle of incidence and the
angle of refraction are:
a) 50˚ and 30˚                    b) 30˚ and 18˚                 c) 60˚ and 38˚

b. Given: b. Given: a. Given:

n1 = 1.0 n1 = 1.0 n1 = 1.0
Ɵ1 = 30 Ɵ1 = 30 Ɵ1 = 60
Ɵ2 = 18° Ɵ2 = 18° Ɵ2 = 38°

Find: Find: Find:

n2 = ? n2 = ? n2 = ?
Solution: Solution: Solution:
n2 = n1sinƟ1 / sinθ2 n2 = n1sinƟ1 / sinθ2 n2 = n1sinƟ1 / sinθ2
= (1)sin50 / sin30) = (1)sin30 / sin18) = (1)sin60 / sin38)
= ( 0.766 / 0.5) = ( 0.5 / 0.309) = ( 0.866 / 0.616)
= 1.53 = 1.62 = 1.41
2. a) What is the angle of refraction in a medium if the angle of incidence in air is
48˚ and the index of refraction of the medium is 1.58?

b) What is the angle of incidence in a medium in the case where the angle of
refraction in air is 40˚ and the index of refraction of the medium is 1.58?

b.Given:
a.Given: n1 = 1.0
Solution:
n1 = 1.0 n2 = 1.58 Ɵ1 = sin-1 ( n2sinƟ2 / n1)
n2 = 1.58 Ɵ2 = 40 = sin-1 (1.0sin40 / 1.58)
Ɵ1 = 48 = sin-1 ( 1.0X0.643 / 1.58)
Find = 24°
Find Ɵ1 = ?
Ɵ2 = ? Solution:
Ɵ2 = sin-1 ( n1sinƟ1 / n2)
= sin-1 (1.0sin48 / 1.58)
= sin-1 ( 1.0X0.743 / 1.58)
= 28°
3. A ray of light passes from air into water at an angle of incidence of
50˚.  What is the angle of refraction?  (HINT: You will need to use the
sin-1 function on your calculator).

Given:
n1 = 1.0 Solution:
n2 = 1.33
Ɵ1 = 50
Ɵ2 = sin-1 ( n1sinƟ1 / n2)
= sin-1 (1.0sin50 / 1.33)
Find
Ɵ2 = ? = sin-1 ( 1.0X0.766 / 1.33)
= 35°
4. Light travels from air into water.  If the angle of
refraction is 30˚, what is the angle of incidence?

Given: Solution:
n1 = 1.0 Ɵ1 = sin-1 ( n2sinƟ2 / n1)
n2 = 1.33 = sin-1 (1.33sin30 / 1.0)
Ɵ2 = 30 = sin-1 ( 1.33X0.5 / 1.0)
= 42°
Find
Ɵ1 = ?
5. A ray of light in air strikes a block of quartz at an angle of incidence of
30˚.  The angle of refraction is 20˚.  What is the index of refraction in quartz?

Given: Solution:
n1 = 1.0 n2 = n1sinƟ1 / sinθ2
Ɵ1 = 30 = (1)sin30 / sin20)
Ɵ2 = 20° = ( 0.5 / 0.34)
= 1.46-1.47
Find:
n2 = ?
6. An underwater swimmer looks up toward the surface of
the water on a line of sight that makes an angle of 25˚ with a
normal to the surface of the water.  What is the angle of
incidence in air for the light rays that enter the swimmer’s
eye?

Given: Solution:
n1 = 1.0 Ɵ1 = sin-1 ( n2sinƟ2 / n1)
n2 = 1.33 = sin-1 (1.33sin25 / 1.0)
Ɵ2 = 25 = sin-1 ( 1.33X0.5 / 1.0)
= 34°
Find
Ɵ1 = ?