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Final Review > Snell's Law/Refraction > Flashcards

Snell's Law/Refraction Flashcards

1
Q

Refraction Definition

A

The bending of light as it travels, at an angle, from a material with one refractive index to a material with a different refractive index.

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2
Q

When light travels from one medium to another, for example from air to water, the light rays:

A

Refract (Bend)

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3
Q

What does it mean when light rays refract? (What changes?)

A

Both its speed and direction change.

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4
Q

What is the the surface between two mediums called?

A

The boundary

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5
Q

True or False: When a light wave crosses the boundary between two media, its speed changes.

A

True

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6
Q

How can the exact path of light as it travels from one medium to another be found, which states?

A

By applying Fermat’s Principle, which states that when light travels from one point to another, it follows the path that will take the least time.

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7
Q

When travelling from one medium to another, the path that takes the least time is not a what type of line?

A

Straight line

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8
Q

In a refraction ray diagram, what is the third ray called in addition to the incident ray and the reflected ray?

A

The Refracted Ray

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9
Q

Refracted Ray Definition

A

The ray that is bent upon entering a second medium.

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10
Q

In a refraction ray diagram, what two rays is the incident ray divided into?

A

One that reflects and one that refracts

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11
Q

True or False: Because of the additional ray, the refracted ray, there is an additional angle to keep track of.

A

True

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12
Q

What is this new angle called?

A

The Angle of Refraction

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13
Q

Angle of Refraction Definition

A

The angle between the normal and the refracted ray.

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14
Q

What happens when a light ray travels from a medium in which its speed is faster (such as air) to a medium in which its speed is slower (such as water)?

A

The refracted ray bends toward the normal.

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15
Q

What happens when a light ray travels from a medium in which its speed is slower (such as water) to a medium in which its speed is faster (such as air)?

A

The refracted ray bends away from the normal.

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16
Q

How is how much a light ray refracts determined by?

A

The extent of the change in the speed of light as it travels from one medium to another?

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17
Q

What happens when light passes from one medium to the next and the change in the speed of light becomes greater?

A

The angle of refraction becomes greater.

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18
Q

What is the speed of light in a vacuum?

A

3.00 x 10^8 m/2

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19
Q

What is the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in a given medium?

A

The Index of Refraction

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20
Q

Index of Refraction Definition

A

The ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in a given medium.

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21
Q

What does “n” represent in the formula n=c/v?

A

The index of refraction

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22
Q

What does “c” represent in the formula n=c/v?

A

The speed of light in a vacuum

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23
Q

What does “v” represent in the formula n=c/v?

A

The speed of light in a medium

24
Q

White light, which includes all the wavelengths of visible light, refracts twice when going through a prism: once when it enters the prism and again when it leaves the prism. What happens when the white light leaves the prism?

A

The light separated into a spectrum of colours.

25
Q

What is this separation process called?

A

Dispersion

26
Q

Dispersion Definition

A

The process of separating colours by refraction.

27
Q

True or False: Each colour of light travels at a slightly different speed in any medium.

A

True

28
Q

Why is the index of refraction always greater than 1? Why does the speed of light decrease?

A

Because the speed of light is always higher in a vacuum than in a medium; as the speed of light decreases due to the medium, the index of refraction increases.

29
Q

As the index of refraction increases, what decreases?

A

The speed of light.

30
Q

As the index of refraction decreases, what increases?

A

The speed of light

31
Q

Snell’s Law Definition

A

A relationship between the path taken by a ray of light in crossing the boundary or surface of separation between two contacting surfaces and the refractive index of each.

32
Q

What is the formula for index of refraction?

A

N=C/V

33
Q

What is the formula for Snell’s Law

A

n1sinbeta1=n2sinbeta2

34
Q

What is an example of Partial Reflection and Refraction?

A

When you look out a window, as you can see what is outside as well as your own reflection.

35
Q

True or False: Some light reflects and some light refracts at a surface between two media that have different indices of refraction.

A

True

36
Q

What is the phenomenon in which some light is reflected, and some light is refracted called?

A

Partial Reflection and Refraction

37
Q

Partial Reflection and Refraction Definition

A

A phenomenon in which some of the light that is travelling from one medium into another is reflected and some is refracted at the boundary between the media.

38
Q

What does the amount of reflection compared with the amount of refraction depend on?

A

The angle of incidence as well as the relative indices of refraction of the two media.

39
Q

In terms of partial reflection and refraction, what happens when light travels from air into water?

A

-If the angle of incidence is nearly zero, most of the light penetrates the surface and very little is reflected.
-As the angle of incidence increases, more light is reflected at the surface and less light penetrates the surface and is refracted.

40
Q

As the angle of incidence continues to increase, what will the angle of refraction eventually do?

A

Reach 90 degrees

41
Q

What happens at an angle of incidence of 90 degrees? (in terms of what the refracted ray does and the resulting light)

A

The refracted ray lies along the boundary between the two media and no light passes into the second medium.

42
Q

What is the angle of incidence that produces a refracted ray at an angle of 90 degrees from the normal called?

A

The Critical Angle

43
Q

Critical Angle Definition

A

The angle of incidence that produces an angle of refraction of 90 degrees.

44
Q

What does the size of the critical angle depend on?

A

The indices of refraction of the two media.

45
Q

What happens when the angle of incidence is larger than the critical angle? (In terms of angle of refraction size and the reason for it)

A

The angle of refraction cannot get any larger because the refracted ray would no longer be in the second medium.

46
Q

So, at angles of incidence that are greater than the critical angle, what happens?

A

No refraction occurs, and all the light is reflected back into the first medium.

47
Q

What is the phenomena called when all light is reflected back into the first medium?

A

Total Internal Reflection

48
Q

Total Internal Reflection Definition and when does it occur?

A

The phenomenon in which incident light is not refracted but is entirely reflected back from the boundary; occurs when light travels from a medium in which its speed is lower to a medium in which its speed is higher.

49
Q

When does total internal reflection only happen?

A

When light travels from a medium in which its speed is lower to a medium in which its speed is higher.

50
Q

What happens when the angle of incidence is smaller than the critical angle?

A

Both refraction and reflection occur at the boundary between the two media.

51
Q

What happens when the angle of refraction reaches 90 degrees?

A

The refracted ray lies along the boundary between the two media.

52
Q

What happens when the angle of incidence is larger than the critical angle?

A

All the light is reflected back into the first medium.

53
Q

Two conditions that are necessary for total internal reflection.

A
  1. Angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle.
  2. Light is travelling from a more dense to less dense medium; =lower to higher speed=bends away from the normal=angle of refraction increases past 90 degrees = n1 > n2
54
Q

How strong are reflection and refraction when the angle of incidence is less than the critical angle?

A

-Refraction is strong.
-Reflection is weak.

55
Q

How strong are reflection and refraction when the angle of incidence is the critical angle?

A

-Refraction is weak.
-Reflection is strong.

56
Q

Light following a what type of path takes less time than following a straight path when travelling from one medium to another?

A

A bent path

57
Q

In a single medium, what is the path that will take the least time?

A

A straight line

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