Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Juvinch R. Vicente
University of the Philippines Visayas
Miagao,Iloilo, Philippines
vinx_oxide@yahoo.com
Abstract 2.Theory
The aim of this experiment is to determine the
Index of Refraction n of the refracting medium, and
the identity of the material using its n.
From the data and results gathered, the best fit line
of the plotted values of sine of angle of refraction (θr)
versus the sine of angle of incidence (θi) was
approximated using a trend line. From the equation
obtained, the slope of the sine θr versus sine θi plot
was determined which is consequently equal to the Figure 1. Refraction of a light ray from air with
ratio between n of the two medium. index of refraction of n1 and angle of incidence of θ1
to glass with index of refraction of n2 and angle of
The value of n obtained was 1.471. Base from the incidence of θ2 with respect to normal line (dashed
standard list of Index of Refraction of common line).
materials, the material having n closest to our
calculated value is Pyrex glass having n equal to Measurement of the angle of refraction of light was
1.474 which has a deviation of 0.20%. done by letting a single light ray pass through a
refracting medium, semi cylindrical glass plate. For
1.Introduction more data points, different angles of refraction were
measured by varying the angles of incidence.
Refraction is the bending of a wave when it enters
a medium where its speed is different. The refraction Figure 1 shows the refraction of the single light ray
of light when it passes from a fast medium to a slow from air to a denser medium (in this case glass). The
medium bends the light ray toward the normal to the figure illustrates that when light travels from medium
boundary between the two media1. of lower density to higher density, θ2 < θ1, and vice
versa.
The amount of bending depends on the indices of
refraction of the two media and is described Refraction is the bending of a wave when it enters
quantitatively by Law of refraction (Snell's Law). a medium from different medium. The refraction of
light when it passes from a fast medium to a slow
Refraction is the reason that prisms separate white medium bends the light ray toward the normal to the
light into its constituent colors. This occurs because boundary between the two media. The bending of the
different colors (i.e., frequencies) of light travel at light ray is due to the change in speed of light. This
different speeds in the prism, resulting in a different phenomenon is governed by Snell’s Law.
amount of deflection of the wavefront for different
colors. Snell's law gives the relationship between angles of
incidence and refraction for a wave impinging on an
In this experiment, the index of refraction of the interface between two media with different indices of
glass plate used was determined by plotting the linear refraction. The law follows from the boundary
relationship of the sines of the angle of incidence condition that a wave continuous across a boundary,
versus sines of the angle of refraction, and solving it which requires that the phase of the wave be constant
from the slope of the best fit line. on any given plane.
of incidence, the refracted light travels in a straight
line along the 0-0 axis.
5. Conclusions References