study part 5 Flashcards
What is refraction?
Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another with different densities.
True or False: Light travels faster in denser mediums.
False, light travels slower in denser mediums.
What happens to light when it enters a lower density medium?
It speeds up and bends away from the normal line.
What is the normal line in refraction diagrams?
The normal line is an imaginary line perpendicular to the boundary between two mediums.
Fill in the blank: When light travels from a higher density medium to a lower density medium, it _______.
bends away from the normal.
What is Snell’s Law?
Snell’s Law relates the angles of incidence and refraction to the refractive indices of the two mediums.
Which medium has a higher refractive index, water or air?
Water has a higher refractive index than air.
In a refraction diagram, what does the angle of incidence measure?
The angle of incidence measures the angle between the incoming light ray and the normal line.
What is the effect of temperature on the density of a medium?
Generally, increasing temperature decreases the density of a medium.
True or False: The angle of refraction is always greater than the angle of incidence when light moves from a denser to a less dense medium.
True.
What occurs at the boundary of two mediums during refraction?
Part of the light is reflected and part is refracted.
Multiple Choice: Which of the following represents a higher density medium? A) Air B) Glass C) Vacuum
B) Glass
What is critical angle?
The critical angle is the angle of incidence above which total internal reflection occurs.
Fill in the blank: Light moving from air to glass will _______.
bend towards the normal.
What is total internal reflection?
Total internal reflection is when light cannot pass through the boundary and is completely reflected back into the denser medium.
True or False: The path of light is always straight until it hits a boundary.
True.
What is the refractive index of a vacuum?
The refractive index of a vacuum is 1.
Multiple Choice: When light exits from water into air, it bends: A) Towards the normal B) Away from the normal
B) Away from the normal
What is the formula for Snell’s Law?
n1 * sin(θ1) = n2 * sin(θ2)
Fill in the blank: The greater the difference in density between two mediums, the _______ the angle of refraction.
larger
What does a refractive index lower than 1 indicate?
It indicates a medium less dense than a vacuum, which is not possible.
What happens to light rays as they pass through a prism?
They refract at different angles, causing dispersion of light.
True or False: The speed of light is constant in all mediums.
False, the speed of light varies depending on the medium.
What is the relationship between angle of incidence and angle of refraction in a higher density to lower density transition?
The angle of refraction is greater than the angle of incidence.
