P10: Reflection and Refraction of Light Flashcards
Angle of incidence =
Angle of reflection
Virtual Image
An image that cannot be projected on a screen.
Real Image
An image that can be projected on a screen.
Image formation by a plane mirror
When light enters a more dense medium…
… it refracts towards the normal
When light enters a less dense medium…
… it refracts away from the normal
Dispersion
The splitting of white light into the colours of the spectrum.
Snell’s Law
refractive index = speed of light in a vacuum (air) / speed of light in the medium.
Refractive Index
Measures how much a medium is capable of refracting light.
When a light ray travels from a transparent medium to air at a non-zero angle of incidence:
The light ray is refracted away from the normal
the larger the angle of incidence, the larger the angle of refraction.
Total Internal Reflection
The total reflection af a light ray in a transparent substance when it reaches a boundary with air or another transparent substance. Only happens if the angle of incidence is bigger than the critical angle.
Critical Angle
The angle of incidence of a light ray in a transparent medium that produces refraction along a boundary.
Total Internal Reflection only happens when…
… light is trying to enter a less dense medium.
Endoscope
Uses TIR to see directly inside the body.
