Chapter 22, Reflection and Refraction of Light

CHAPTER 22
Conceptual Questions

C1. Three flat layers of transparent material are stacked upon one another. The top layer has
index of refraction n1, the middle has n2 and the bottom one has n3. If n1 < n2 < n3, at what
angle of incidence will a ray of light traverse the three layers in a single straight line?

a.  i  sin (1 / n1 )
1

b.  i  sin 1 /( n1  n2  n3 ) 
1

c.  i  tan (n1  n2  n3 )
1

d. There is such an angle, but it is not given.

C2. Three flat layers of transparent material are stacked upon one another. The top layer has
index of refraction n1, the middle has n2 and the bottom one has n3. If n1 > n2 > n3, and if a
ray of light strikes the top layer at an angle of incidence  i  30 , in which layer is the angle


of refraction the greatest?

a. the top layer

b. the middle layer
c. the bottom layer
d. Once the ray enters the touching layers, the angle of refraction remains constant.

C3. Three flat layers of transparent material are stacked upon one another. The top layer has
index of refraction n1, the middle n2 and the bottom one n3. If n1 > n2 > n3, and a ray of light
in air strikes the top layer, at which surface given can total internal reflection occur first?

a. the top surface

b. the surface between materials with indices n1 and n2
c. the surface between materials with indices n2 and n3
d. Total internal reflection cannot occur at any of these surfaces.

C4. Light of colors 1 and 2 are sent through a prism and the rays of light of color 2 bend more.
Which of the following is not true?

a. The index of refraction for color 2 is greater than that for color 1.
b. The two colors of light have different frequencies associated with them.
c. The speed of light for color 2 is greater than that for color 1 in this prism.
d. The wavelength for color 1 is different than that for color 2 in this prism.

C5. White light is sent through a prism, and the various colors are separated in typical fashion.
Which of the following colors would have the highest index of refraction in this prism?

a. red
b. green
c. yellow
d. blue
22.1 The Nature of Light

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1. According to the photon energy formula, tripling the frequency of the radiation from a
monochromatic source will change the energy content of the individually radiated photons by
what factor?

a. 0.33
b. 1.0
c. 1.73
d. 3.0

2. Tripling the wavelength of the radiation from a monochromatic source will change the
energy content of the individually radiated photons by what factor?

a. 0.33
b. 1.0
c. 1.73
d. 3.0

3. Photon A has an energy of 2.0  10-19 J. Photon B has 4 times the frequency of Photon A.
What is the energy of Photon B?

a. 0.50  10-19 J
b. 1.0  10-19 J
c. 8.0  10-19 J
d. 32  10-19 J

4. According to present theories of light, in some experiments light seems to be:

a. composed of particles which can neither be created nor destroyed.

b. a particle whose quantized energy depends on its velocity.
c. a wave that moves from one place to another if there is material to vibrate.
d. none of the above.

5. The wave-particle duality of light means that, in the same experiment:

a. light will act both like a wave and like a particle.

b. light will act either like a wave or like a particle.
c. light will not act like either a wave or a particle.
d. light always exists as two waves or as two particles.

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6. What is the energy of a photon of frequency 5.00  1014 Hz? (h = 6.626  1034 Js)

a. 3.31  1019 J
b. 3.31  1047 J
c. 1.33  1048 J
d. 1.33  1024 J

7. One phenomenon that demonstrates the particle nature of light is:

a. the photoelectric effect.

b. diffraction effects.
c. interference effects.
d. the prediction by Maxwell’s electromagnetic theory.

8. One phenomenon that demonstrates the wave nature of light is:

a. the photoelectric effect.

b. quantization effects.
c. absorption of light by an electron.
d. interference effects.

9. Helium-neon laser light has a wavelength in air of 632.8 nm. What is the energy of a single
photon in the beam? (h = 6.626  1034 Js and c = 3.00  108 m/s).

a. 3.14  1019 J
b. 5.40  1019 J
c. 7.62  1019 J
d. 1.15  1018 J

10. Newton’s theory of light treated light as _________ while Young demonstrated that light
behaved as ________ with ________behavior.

a. particles, waves, refractive

b. particles, waves, interference
c. waves, particles, interference
d. waves, particles, refractive

11. The photoelectric effect was discovered by:

a. Maxwell.
b. Einstein.
c. Hertz.
d. Planck.

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12. Who formulated the theory explaining the photoelectric effect?

a. Hertz
b. Maxwell
c. Newton
d. Einstein

22.2 Reflection and Refraction

13. A ray of light strikes a thick sheet of glass (n = 1.5) at an angle of 25° with the normal. Find
the angle of the ray reflected off the glass surface with respect to the normal.

a. 56°
b. 46°
c. 39°
d. 25°

14. As the angle of incidence is increased for a ray incident on a reflecting surface, the angle
between the incident and reflected rays ultimately approaches what value?

a. zero
b. 45°
c. 90°
d. 180°

15. Which of the following describes what will happen to a light ray incident on an air-to-glass
boundary?

a. total reflection
b. total transmission
c. partial reflection, partial transmission
d. partial reflection, total transmission

16. Light from a 560-nm monochromatic source is incident upon the surface of fused quartz (n =
1.56) at an angle of 60°. What is the angle of reflection from the surface?

a. 15°
b. 34°
c. 60°
d. 75°

17. A line representing a wave front for a wave should be drawn:

a. from the source to the receiver.

b. from one crest to the preceding crest.
c. along one of the crests of the wave.
d. in the direction the wave is moving.

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18. When light of one wavelength from air hits a smooth piece of glass at an angle, which of the
following will not occur?

a. reflection
b. refraction
c. dispersion
d. All of the above will occur.

19. When viewing your image in a hand-held mirror, if you move the mirror away at a speed v,
the image appears to:

a. also move away at v.

b. move away at 2v.
c. move away at v/2.
d. not move.

20. When light reflects and produces a clear image, this reflection is referred to as:

a. specular reflection.
b. diffuse reflection.
c. retroreflection.
d. double reflection.

22.3 The Law of Refraction

21. Water has an index of refraction of 1.333. What is the speed of light through it? (c = 3.00 
108 m/s)

a. 4.00  108 m/s

b. 2.25  108 m/s
c. 4.46  108 m/s
d. 1.46  108 m/s

22. A ray of light strikes a thick sheet of glass (n = 1.5) at an angle of 25° with the normal. Find
the angle of the refracted ray within the glass with respect to the normal.

a. 56°
b. 46°
c. 25°
d. 16°

23. Dez pours carbon tetrachloride (n = 1.46) into a container made of crown glass (n = 1.52).
The light ray in glass incident on the glass-to-liquid boundary makes an angle of 30° with the
normal. Find the angle of the corresponding refracted ray.

a. 55.5°
b. 29.4°
c. 31.4°
d. 19.2°

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24. A monochromatic beam of light in air has a wavelength of 589 nm in air. It passes through
glass (n = 1.52) and then through carbon disulfide (n = 1.63). What is its wavelength in the
carbon disulfide?

a. 361 nm
b. 387.5 nm
c. 895 nm
d. 960 nm

25. A light ray in air is incident on an air-to-glass boundary at an angle of 30.0° and is refracted
in the glass at an angle of 21.0° with the normal. Find the index of refraction of the glass.

a. 2.13
b. 1.74
c. 1.23
d. 1.40

26. A beam of light in air is incident at an angle of 30° to the surface of a rectangular block of
clear plastic (n = 1.46). The light beam first passes through the block and re-emerges from
the opposite side into air at what angle to the normal to that surface?

a. 42°
b. 23°
c. 30°
d. 59°

27. A beam of light in air is incident on the surface of a rectangular block of clear plastic (n =
1.49). If the velocity of the beam before it enters the plastic is 3.00  108 m/s, what is its
velocity inside the block?

a. 3.00  108 m/s

b. 1.93  108 m/s
c. 2.01  108 m/s
d. 1.35  108 m/s

28. A light ray in air enters and passes through a block of glass. What can be stated with regard
to its speed after it emerges from the block?

a. Speed is less than when in glass.

b. Speed is less than before it entered glass.
c. Speed is same as that in glass.
d. Speed is same as that before it entered glass.

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29. As a monochromatic light ray is transmitted through an air-to-glass boundary, what happens
to the wavelength?

a. increases
b. decreases
c. remains unchanged
d. approaches zero value

30. Monochromatic light hits a piece of glass. What happens to the wavelength in the glass as the
index of refraction increases?

a. decreases
b. increases
c. remains constant
d. approaches 3  108 m

31. If the speed of light through an unknown liquid is measured at 1.80  108 m/s, what is the
index of refraction of this liquid? (c = 3.00  108 m/s)

a. 1.80
b. 1.67
c. 1.20
d. 0.600

32. If the wavelength of a monochromatic source is 490 nm in vacuum, what is the wavelength
from the same source when it passes through a liquid where the speed of light is 2.40  108
m/s? (c = 3.00  108 m/s)

a. 671 nm
b. 612.5 nm
c. 490 nm
d. 392 nm

33. What is the angle of incidence on an air-to-glass boundary if the angle of refraction in the
glass (n = 1.52) is 25°?

a. 16°
b. 25°
c. 40°
d. 43°

34. A monochromatic light source emits a wavelength of 490 nm in air. When passing through a
liquid, the wavelength reduces to 429 nm. What is the liquid’s index of refraction?

a. 1.26
b. 1.49
c. 1.14
d. 1.33

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35. Fused quartz has an index of refraction of 1.56 for light from a 560-nm source. What is the
speed of light for this wavelength within the quartz? (c = 3.00  108 m/s)

a. 1.56  108 m/s

b. 1.92  108 m/s
c. 2.19  108 m/s
d. 4.68  108 m/s

36. If light from a 560-nm monochromatic source in air is incident upon the surface of fused
quartz (n = 1.56) at an angle of 60°, what is the wavelength of the ray refracted within the
quartz?

a. 192 nm
b. 359 nm
c. 560 nm
d. 874 nm

37. A ray of light travels from a glass-to-liquid interface at an angle of 35.0°. Indices of
refraction for the glass and liquid are, respectively, 1.52 and 1.63. What is the angle of
refraction for the ray moving through the liquid?

a. 23.2°
b. 32.3°
c. 38.4°
d. 46.0°

38. A ray of light is incident on a liquid-to-glass interface at an angle of 35°. Indices of refraction
for the liquid and glass are, respectively, 1.63 and 1.52. What is the angle of refraction for
the ray moving through the glass?

a. 23°
b. 30°
c. 38°
d. 46°

39. A beam of monochromatic light goes from material 1 with index of refraction n1 into material
2 with index of refraction n2. The frequency of light in material 1 is f1 and in material 2 is f2.
What is the ratio of f1/f2?

a. n1/n2
b. n2/n1
c. 1
d. The values of n1 and n2 must be known to find the answer.

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40. A fish is 1.2 m beneath the surface of a still pond of water. At what maximum angle can the
fish look toward the surface (measured with respect to the normal to the surface) in order to
see a fisherman sitting on a distant bank? (for water, n = 1.333)

a. 18.6°
b. 37.2°
c. 48.6°
d. The fish will not see the fisherman at any angle.

41. A light ray passes from air through a thin plastic slab (n = 1.3) with parallel sides. If the ray
in air makes an angle of 45° with the normal after leaving the slab, what is the angle of
incidence for the ray in air as it impinges upon the other side of the slab?

a. 33°
b. 45°
c. 67°
d. 58.5°

42. A ray of light is incident on the mid-point of a glass prism surface at an angle of 20° with the
normal. For the glass, n = 1.60, and the prism apex angle is 35°. What is the angle of
incidence at the glass-to-air surface on the side opposite where the ray exits the prism?

a. 38.0°
b. 35.1°
c. 22.7°
d. 12.3°

43. A ray of light is incident on the mid-point of a glass prism surface at an angle of 25.0° with
the normal. For the glass, n = 1.55, and the prism apex angle is 30.0°. What is the angle of
refraction as the ray enters the air on the far side of the prism?

a. 14.1°
b. 22.3°
c. 28.4°
d. 46.0°

44. An oil film floats on a water surface. The indices of refraction for water and oil, respectively,
are 1.333 and 1.466. If a ray of light is incident on the air-to-oil surface at an angle of 37.0°
with the normal, what is the incident angle at the oil-to-water surface?

a. 18.1°
b. 24.2°
c. 27.3°
d. 37.0°

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45. An oil film floats on a water surface. The indices of refraction for water and oil, respectively,
are 1.333 and 1.466. If a ray of light is incident on the air-to-oil surface at an angle of 37.0°
with the normal, what is the angle of the refracted ray in the water?

a. 18.1°
b. 24.2°
c. 26.8°
d. 37.0°

46. When light from air hits a smooth piece of glass (n = 1.5) with the ray perpendicular to the
glass surface, which of the following will occur?

a. reflection and transmission with 2 = 0°

b. refraction with 2 = 41.8°
c. interference
d. All of the above will occur.

47. When light from air hits a smooth piece of glass with the ray perpendicular to the glass
surface, the part of the light passing into the glass:

a. will not change its speed.

b. will not change its frequency.
c. will not change its wavelength.
d. will not change its intensity.

48. Light in air enters a diamond (n = 2.42) at an angle of incidence of 48.0°. What is the angle
of refraction inside the diamond?

a. 17.9°
b. 19.8°
c. 24.7°
d. 45.6°

49. An underwater scuba diver sees the sun at an apparent angle of 30.0° from the vertical. How
far is the sun above the horizon? (nwater = 1.333)

a. 22.0°
b. 41.8°
c. 48.2°
d. 68.0°

50. A light beam is incident upon a still water surface. What is the maximum possible value for
the angle of refraction? (nwater = 1.333).

a. 76.2°
b. 67.5°
c. 54.4°
d. 48.6°

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51. A beam of light is incident upon a flat piece of glass (n = 1.50) at an angle of incidence of
45º. Part of the beam is transmitted and part is reflected. What is the angle between the
reflected and transmitted rays?

a. 28°
b. 73°
c. 107°
d. 152°

52. The lowest possible value for the index of refraction is:

a. 0.
b. 1.
c. 0.707.
d. 3-1/2.

53. Three materials with n1 < n2 < n3 are arranged in layers of uniform thickness. A light ray in
air enters the first layer at an angle of incidence of 30° and the ray eventually exits the third
layer at the refracted angle  in air. What is the value of ?

a. Some angle less than 30°.

b. 30°.
c. Some angle more than 30°.
d. Insufficient information to answer.

54. Of the values listed below, which is the greatest possible value for the index of refraction?

a. 1.5
b. 3
c. 2.0
d. 2.4

55. Two mirrors are joined together along a common side, the planes of the mirrors separated by
the angle θ. If the joined mirrors can be used as a retroreflector when a beam of light strikes
both surfaces (one after the other), what is the value of θ?

a. 30°
b. 45°
c. 90°
d. 135°

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22.4 Dispersion and Prisms

56. A ray of white light, incident upon a glass prism, is dispersed into its various color
components. Which one of the following colors experiences the greatest angle of deviation?

a. orange
b. violet
c. red
d. green

57. Dispersion occurs when:

a. some materials bend light more than other materials.

b. a material slows down some wavelengths more than others.
c. a material changes some frequencies more than others.
d. light has different speeds in different materials.

58. A certain kind of glass has nblue = 1.650 for blue light and nred = 1.610 for red light. If a beam
of white light (containing all colors) is incident at an angle of 30.0°, what is the angle
between the red and blue light inside the glass?

a. 0.22°
b. 0.45°
c. 1.90°
d. 1.81°

59. When white light disperses as it passes through a prism, which of the following colors moves
at the lowest speed in the prism?

a. blue
b. green
c. yellow
d. red

60. When light passing through a prism undergoes dispersion, the effect is a result of:

a. different wavelengths traveling at different speeds.

b. different wavelengths having different indices of refraction.
c. different wavelengths refracting differently.
d. All of the above.

22.5 The Rainbow

61. A rainbow is a result of:

a. different color droplets of water.

b. dispersion.
c. interference.
d. the Huygens Effect.

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62. What is the maximum possible arc that can be subtended by a rainbow? (Consider all
possible viewing geometries).

a. 90°
b. 180°
c. 270°
d. 360°

22.6 Huygens’s Principle

63. Huygens’s wave theory requires which of the following with regard to the relative speeds of
light in glass and in air?

a. Speed in air is greater than in glass.

b. Speed in air is less than in glass.
c. Speed in air equals that in glass.
d. Speed in glass equals square root of that in air.

64. In Huygens’s construction, all points on a wave front:

a. act as point sources for the production of secondary spherical waves.

b. act as particles.
c. demonstrate the dual nature of light.
d. must be sources of plane waves.

22.7 Total Internal Reflection

65. Diamond has an index of refraction of 2.419. What is the critical angle for internal reflection
inside a diamond that is in air?

a. 24.4°
b. 48.8°
c. 155°
d. 131°

66. A container of flint glass (n = 1.66) holds a small quantity of benzene (n = 1.501). What is
the critical angle for internal reflection of a ray in the glass when it is incident on the
glass-to-liquid surface?

a. 89.5°
b. 64.7°
c. 41.1°
d. 37.0°

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67. Which of the following describes what will happen to a light ray incident on an air-to-glass
boundary at less than the critical angle?

a. total reflection
b. total transmission
c. partial reflection, partial transmission
d. partial reflection, total transmission

68. Which of the following describes what will happen to a light ray incident on a glass-to-air
boundary at greater than the critical angle?

a. total reflection
b. total transmission
c. partial reflection, partial transmission
d. partial reflection, total transmission

69. A ray of light travels across a liquid-to-glass interface. If the indices of refraction for the
liquid and glass are, respectively, 1.75 and 1.52, what is the critical angle at this interface?

a. 30.0°
b. 52.2°
c. 60.3°
d. Critical angle does not exist.

70. A fiber optic cable (n = 1.50) is submerged in water (n = 1.33). What is the critical angle for
light to stay inside the cable?

a. 83.1°
b. 62.5°
c. 41.8°
d. 27.6°

71. If total internal reflection occurs at a glass-air surface:

a. no light is refracted.
b. no light is reflected.
c. light is leaving the air and hitting the glass with an incident angle greater than the
critical angle.
d. light is leaving the air and hitting the glass with an incident angle less than the critical
angle.

72. An optical fiber is made of clear plastic with index of refraction n = 1.50. For what angles
with the surface will light remain within the plastic “guide”?

a.  < 66.6°
b.  < 57.1°
c.  < 51.7°
d.  < 48.2°

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73. A small underwater pool light is 1 m below the surface of a swimming pool. What is the
radius of the circle of light on the surface, from which light emerges from the water? (nwater =
1.333).

a. 0.57 m
b. 0.77 m
c. 1.13 m
d. 1.43 m

74. Before light can undergo total internal reflection when incident on material 2 from material
1, what must be true of the indices of refraction?

a. n1 = n2
b. n1 < n2
c. n1 > n2
d. Either n1 or n2 must be equal to 1.

75. Fiber optics has to do with:

a. the color of fabrics.

b. light having fiber characteristics as well as wave and particle characteristics.
c. string theory.
d. none of the above.

76. A light ray incident on the interface between air and glass can undergo total internal
reflection:

a. only in the glass.

b. only in the air.
c. in either the glass or the air.
d. in the air only if the index of refraction of the glass is greater than the 2.

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CHAPTER 22 - ANSWERS
# Ans Difficulty # Ans Difficulty

C1. D 1 37. B 2
C2. A 2 38. C 2
C3. B 2 39. C 2
C4. C 2 40. C 2
C5. D 2 41. B 2
1. D 2 42. C 3
2. A 2 43. B 3
3. C 2 44. B 2
4. D 2 45. C 2
5. B 1 46. A 1
6. A 2 47. B 1
7. A 1 48. A 2
8. D 1 49. C 2
9. A 2 50. D 2
10. B 2 51. C 2
11. C 1 52. B 1
12. D 1 53. B 3
13. D 1 54. D 2
14. D 1 55. C 2
15. C 1 56. B 2
16. C 1 57. B 2
17. C 1 58. B 2
18. C 1 59. A 2
19. B 2 60. D 1
20. A 1 61. B 1
21. B 2 62. D 1
22. D 2 63. A 1
23. C 2 64. A 1
24. A 2 65. A 2
25. D 2 66. B 3
26. C 2 67. C 1
27. C 2 68. A 1
28. D 1 69. C 2
29. B 1 70. B 2
30. A 2 71. A 1
31. B 2 72. D 2
32. D 2 73. C 3
33. C 2 74. C 2
34. C 2 75. D 1
35. B 2 76. A 1
36. B 2

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