Physics

123A&C

Lecture 10:
Reflection & Refraction

3rd WebAssign HW Due Tuesday, 11 pm

4th is Posted, Due Tuesday April 28

Midterm Exam 1 Hand-Graded Scores Are

Posted Get Your Tutorial Papers Now
Solution Will Be Posted Late Today,
WebAssign Resources
Clicker Registration is Over
E-mail Me about Clicker Registration Problems

Posted Lecture Slides Will Begin to

Disappear Starting Soon
1

Using Polarizers
A Randomly Oriented EM Wave Has Equal
Electric Field Components in All Directions
Perpendicular to Wave Velocity c

Suppose c is in z-Direction:
Then E has Equal Amounts of x- & y- Components

Perfect Polarizer Absorbs All Components of

E Perpendicular to a Transmission Axis
Mechanism: Long, Parallel Spaghetti Molecules

Electrons Can Move Freely Along Length of a Molecule

But NOT from Molecule to Molecule
Absorption Due to Energy to Drive e Oscillations
Transmission Axis is Perpendicular to Spaghetti Strands
2

Law of Malus
Lets Compute the Transmitted Intensity
For Incident Light on a Linear Polarizer
x Component Transmitted

E x E cos
Intensity Proportional to E 2

I in c 0 E

Transmission
Axis

I out c 0 E x2 c 0 E 2 cos 2

Results:
ClickerQ3
1. Law of Malus I out I in cos 2
2. If Incoming = Random, Half is Transmitted
Average Value of cos2 = 0.500
Clicker Q1

 Q1: Unpolarized Light Passes Through a

Perfect Polarizer. What Portion of Energy is
Transmitted?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

100%
75%
50%
25%
Need More Information

Clicker Q2

 Q2: Unpolarized Light Strikes a Vertical

Polarizer, then a 45 Polarizer, then a
Horizontal Polarizer. What Percent Passes?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

0%
12.5 %
25 %
37.5 %
50 %
None of These

Circular Polarization
Suppose Two Otherwise Identical EM Waves
Have Perpendicular E Fields as Shown:
Delay Wave 1
By 90 or /2
or Wavelength.
Then Superpose:
Called
Circularly
Polarized

SeeTipler,Page1075

Because E Appears to Rotate Thru a Complete Circle

Once as Each Wavelength Passes a Fixed Location.
6

Quarter Wave Plate

Device to Produce Circular Polarization
Linear Polarizer Plus Crystal with Wave Speed
Dependent on Orientation of E to Crystal
Mutually Perpendicular: Fast Axis, Slow Axis, Wave v
Linear
Linear Polarizer Makes Fast
Polarizer
Equal Amounts of E | | Slow
onBack

to Fast and Slow Axes

Arrange Thickness so That Slow E is Delayed
by Exactly Wavelength Compared to Fast
Output is Circularly Polarized

Put Right Thumb in Direction of Motion, Curl Fingers

If Fingers Curl in Direction E Rotates, Right Handed**
Clicker Q3

 Q3: If Random Incoming Wave, How Should

the Linear Polarizer Transmission Axis Be
Linear
Oriented to the Crystal?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

Polarizer
onBack

Parallel to Fast Axis

Parallel to Slow Axis
Diagonally, Splitting Fast & Slow
Either A or B Works
Cannot Be Done Without 2 Polarizers
None of These

Todays SmartPhysics Results

PreLecture:
Compare ns by Comparing Angles: 47% - 52%
Polarization at Brewsters Angle: 46% - 38%

Checkpoints:

Unchanged for Air-to-Water Light: 58% - 70%

Polarization by Reflection: 77% - 68%
Compare ns by Comparing Angles : 75% - 80%
Critical Angle Depends on Which n(s): 69% - 77%
Yes or No Total Internal Reflection: 43% - 55%

Your Concerns: Polarization by Reflection,

Total Internal Reflection, All the Crazy Angles
9

The Ray Model

Any EM Wave Can Be Pictured as a Simple
Set of E & B Sine Curves Moving Along 1 Axis
These Sine Curves Really Represent Wave Fronts.

When Dealing With Light, It Is a Great

Simplification to Avoid Drawing Wave Fronts, or
Even Sine Curves
Instead Draw Straight Lines (RAYS) in the Direction
the Light is Moving.

Rays are Always in the Direction of Wave Velocity.

Perpendicular to Wave Fronts

Rays are Straight

But Can Change Direction at Material Boundaries
Clicker Q4

10

 Q4: Which Choice Best Represents RAYS

From a Point (Spherical) Source?
A.

B.

C.

D.

11

Huygens & Fermat

Two General Arguments for Drawing Wave
Fronts or Rays:
Huygens Principle:
Sketch Wave Fronts to Represent Crests. Then
Every Point on a Wave Front Acts As a Source
of Spherical Waves New Wave Fronts
See Tipler Figure 31-7 for Example

Fermats Principle:
Light Rays Travel Along the Path That Requires
the Least Travel Time.
Used in Modern Physics as Well

Clicker Q5

12

 Q5: If Speed is Larger (4/3) in the Dark

Material, Which Path Would Light Take From
A to B?
A
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Leftmost
Center Left
Center
Center Right
Rightmost

2.9

4.3

4.3

2.9

A = E = 2.9 & 4.3

B = D = 3.1 & 4.0
C = 3.5 & 3.5

13

Reflection & Refraction

At a Material Boundary, Rays Can Reflect
and/or Transmit (Refract)
Law of Reflection
refl inc
Snells Law
Refraction

n2 sin refr n1 sin inc

n2 sin 2 n1 sin 1

Both Laws Are Reversible

Angles Always Measured From Normal
Not From Surface

AnglefromRaytoNormal=
AnglefromWavefront toSurface!
14