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The refractive number of a substance is a measure of how much the speed of a wave changes compared to the speed in a reference medium i.e. air or a vacuum. The critical angle is the angle of incidence above which total internal reflection occurs. When the angle of incidence of the light ray leaving the glass is less than the critical angle, the light ray speeds up on leaving the glass and is refracted away from the normal.

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What are the conditions for total internal reflection to take place?

Light must travel from the optically denser medium to the optically less dense one. For total internal reflection to occur, the angle of incidence in the optically denser medium must be greater than the critical angle of that medium. The critical angle is that angle of incidence in the optically denser medium for which the angle of refraction is 90o.


Is critical angle fixed?

Yes for a given medium critical angle is fixed as mu = 1/ sin C mu is the refractive index of the material and C is the critical angle.


Is there a critical angle for angle for light going from glass to water?

Yes, there is a critical angle for light transitioning from glass to water. The critical angle occurs when light moves from a medium with a higher refractive index (glass) to one with a lower refractive index (water). If the angle of incidence exceeds this critical angle, total internal reflection occurs, meaning no light passes into the water. The critical angle can be calculated using Snell's Law.


How does critical angle depend on color of light?

The critical angle of refraction depends on the wavelength of light, which is associated with color. Different colors of light have different wavelengths, causing them to refract at different angles. This is why we see rainbows when white light is dispersed into its various colors.


What 2 conditions are essential for total internal reflection?

1 first medium has a larger reflective index than the second medium (means the first material is denser than the second material) 2 the angle of incidence must be larger than the critical angle


When is the angle of refraction the greatest when light travels at a given angle of incidence lesser than 90 degree?

The angle of refraction is greatest when light travels from a medium with a higher refractive index to a medium with a lower refractive index. According to Snell's Law, as the angle of incidence increases, the angle of refraction also increases, approaching the critical angle. When the angle of incidence is just below the critical angle, the angle of refraction reaches its maximum value just before total internal reflection occurs. Thus, the greatest angle of refraction occurs right before the critical angle is reached.


How much is the refractive angle when total internal reflection occurs?

That varies, depending on the refractive indices of the materials involved. The critical angle can be derived from Snell's law; it is equal to arcsin(n2/n1), where n2 and n1 are the refractive indices of the materials involved.


The refractive index of diamond is 2.42. What is the critical angle for the light passing from the diamond to the air?

The critical angle is the angle of incidence at which the light is refracted at an angle of 90 degrees. The critical angle can be calculated using Snell's Law: sin(critical angle) = 1 / refractive index. For diamond (n=2.42) to air (n=1), the critical angle is approximately 24.4 degrees.


What condition must be met before total internal refraction can occur?

Total internal reflection occurs when light travels from a denser medium to a less dense medium at an angle greater than the critical angle. The critical angle is specific to the two media involved and is determined by their refractive indices. Additionally, the light must be incident at an angle greater than this critical angle for total internal reflection to take place.


Why does water have a greater critical angle than glass?

The critical angle is determined by the refractive indices of the two media involved. Water has a lower refractive index (approximately 1.33) compared to glass (which typically ranges from about 1.5 to 1.9). Since the critical angle is calculated using Snell's Law, a lower refractive index in water allows for a greater critical angle when transitioning from water to air, compared to the transition from glass to air. Thus, water's lower refractive index results in a larger critical angle.


What is the relation between polarizing angle and critical angle?

The polarizing angle is the angle at which light is completely polarized when it reflects off a surface. The critical angle is the angle at which light is refracted along the surface when entering a different medium. These angles are related in that the polarizing angle can be calculated using the critical angle and the refractive indices of the two media involved.


Why total internal reflection takes place?

It happens when light travels through a material that has a greater "optical density" (refraction index, really) than a bordering material, and when it touches the surface at an angle that is sufficiently flat.