Chapter 5

Transparency
39
Light

Total Internal Reflection Of Light

Refracted Refracted
ray ray
Air Air Air
Glass Critical Glass Glass
angle c c
Incident ray Reflected ray Incident ray Reflected ray Incident ray Reflected ray
(Weak) (Weak) (Bright)

Refraction and reflection Angle c is critical angle Total internal reflection

Total internal reflection

To Determine Critical Angle
The angle of incidence is increased until total internal
reflection is attained. The angle of incidence is called
the critical angle c.
The refractive index, 1
n= Incident ray
sin c
Conditions for total internal reflection: Semi-circular glass block
• Light must be refracted from a denser medium to a less dense medium.
• The angle of incidence must be greater than the critical angle.
98°
Phenomena
Object
(cloud) Colder air layer
(Denser)
Worm

Hotter air layer

Image Total (Less dense)
(cloud) internal The fish is able to see The formation of
reflection rainbow is due to
Road the worm behind a stone
due to total internal refraction and total
How a mirage is formed.
reflection of light. internal reflection
of light.
Applications Of Total Internal Reflection Of Light
A light ray in a diamond
experiences multiple total
internal reflections before
emerging from the diamond.
This causes the diamond to sparkle even in
Binoculars Optical fibre dim light.

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