Nature of Light

and the
Principles of Ray
Optics
Hernanie T. Salazar Jr.
Mathematics and Physics
Department
Adamson University
Mar. 29, 2021
Objectives
• Displays systematic understanding of the concepts and
principles of light and ray optics.
• Solve advanced problems in light and ray optics.
 Nature of Light

• Newton’s view – light was

considered to be stream of
particles.
• Christian Huygens (1678) – wave
model of light could also explain the
reflection and refraction of light.
• Thomas Young (1801) – light rays
interfere with one another.
• J.C. Maxwell (1973) – light is a form
of high-frequency electromagnetic
waves
 Nature of Light
• Particle of lights are called
photons.
Measurements of the Speed of Light

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Measurements of the Speed of Light

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Problem: Measurements of the Speed of
Light

Example: Measuring the Speed of Light

with Fizeau’s Wheel
Assume Fizeau’s wheel has 360 teeth
and rotates at 55.0 rev/s when a
pulse of light passing through opening
A in the figure passes through
opening C on its return. If the
distance to the mirror is 7500 m, what
is the speed of light?
Problem: Measurements of the Speed of
Light

Solution: Measuring the Speed of Light

with Fizeau’s Wheel
360 teeth = 360 openings
Light must pass through opening A and
reflects back through the opening
adjacent to A.
Rotation of the wheel must be 1/360
Problem: Measurements of the Speed of
Light

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Ray Approximation in Ray Optics

• Ray optics (geometric optics) – study of the

propagation of light.
• Ray approximation – consider that light
(through a uniform medium) travels in a
straight line in the direction of its rays.
Ray Approximation in Ray Optics
• Consider a wave that passes through a barrier with a small hole.
• If the diameter is much larger than the wavelength, the waves just move
in a straight line.
• If the diameter is in order of magnitude of the wavelength, the waves
spread out of the hole — diffraction

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 Waves Under Reflection

• Contrary to waves on string, light

waves travel in three-dimensional
space.
• Specular reflection — reflection of
light from such a smooth surface.
• Diffuse reflection — reflection from
any rough surface.

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 Waves Under Reflection

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 Problem: Waves Under Reflection

Example: Double-Reflected Light Ray

Two mirrors make an angle of 120º
with each other as illustrated in the
figure. A ray is incident on mirror M1
at an angle of 65º to the normal. Find
the direction of the ray after it is
reflected from mirror M2.

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 Problem: Reflection
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 Waves Under Reflection
• Retroreflection — when the reflected
beam returns to the source parallel to its
original path.

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Waves Under Refraction
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Waves Under Refraction
When light moves from a material in which its speed is high to a material in
which its speed is lower, the angle of refraction is less than the incidence.
The ray is bent toward the normal.

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Waves Under Refraction
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Background: Refraction

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Waves Under Refraction
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Waves Under Refraction

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 Problem: Waves Under Refraction
Example: Angle of Refraction for Glass
A light ray of wavelength 589 nm
traveling through air is incident on a
smooth, flat slab of crown glass at an
angle of 30.08 to the normal.
(A) Find the angle of refraction
(B) Find the speed of this light once it
enters the glass.
(C) What is the wavelength of this light in
the glass.
Problem: Waves Under Refraction

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Problem: Waves Under Refraction

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Problem: Waves Under Refraction

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Problem: Waves Under Refraction

Example: Light Passing Through a Slab

A light beam passes from medium 1 to
medium 2, with the latter medium being
a thick slab of material whose index of
refraction is n2 (Figure). Show that the
beam emerging into medium 1 from
the other side is parallel to the incident
beam.
Problem: Waves Under Refraction

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Huygens’s Principle
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Huygens’s Principle
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 Huygens’s Principle
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Thank you
for listening
Nature of Light and Principles of
Ray Optics