PHYS 251 Chapter Notes - Chapter 18.3: Optical Axis, Total Internal Reflection, Virtual Image
Document Summary
When light rays cross the boundary between air and glass part of the light is reflected and part of the light is refracted. Refraction: the transmission of light from one medium to another with a change is direction. The angle between the incident ray and the normal is the angle of incidence. The angle on the transmitted side, measured from the normal is the angle of refraction. Index of refraction (n) determines how much a light ray bends when crossing a boundary between two different media. When n > n light ray bends closer to the normal. When n < n light ray bends away from the normal. Total internal reflection: the ray is unable to refract through the boundary and 100% of it is reflected, occurs when the critical angle (c), this occurs when = 90 . *there is no critical angle and no total internal reflection when n > n .