Experiment 5

OPTICS I – COLORS, REFLECTION AND

REFRATION

Renata Barbosa Hess

PHY291-001
10/27/2021
 OBJECTIVE
The objective of this experiment is to investigate the refraction and reflection of light rays
in plane mirrors and total internal refraction, respectively. As well as observe the mixing of
colors.

THEORY AND PHYSICAL PRINCIPLE

Among the various phenomena related to light, it is safe to say that the refraction and
diffuse reflection of light are largely responsible for the human visual perception of objects. It
well known that white light coming from the Sun or a lamp is an electromagnetic wave
composed of several other electromagnetic waves, which differ in their wavelength, but which
are similar in their speed of propagation in a vacuum. So, each color is an electromagnetic wave
and it is perception by human is inherent to its wavelength and frequency related as
C = Lamba/f (Eq. 1)
Also humanly perceived as the following diagram:

Figure 1 Section of electromagnetic (EM) spectrum (Photo credit: University Physics, vol 3,
OpenStax)
Reflection is the act of light being reflected to the medium that was propagating and it
can be defined in two ways: 1) when the surface of Light incidence is fully polished, the
reflected ray is well defined; 2) if the surface of incidence is irregular, full of imperfections, the
light rays are not well reflected being called diffuse reflection. The light reflection is governed
by two laws that are:
• First Law – says that the incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal one belongs to
the same plane.
• Second Law – says that the angle of reflection (r) is equal to the angle of incidence (i),
thus:
Theta (r)= Theta (i) (Eq. 2)

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 Refraction can be defined as the phenomenon that consists of change direction of
propagation of light rays when it passes from one medium to another. In the year 1620, the
Dutch mathematician and astronomer Snell Descartes discovered a relationship to calculate the
angle of deviation of the sun's rays. this relationship takes its name from Snell's Law and can be
written as follows:
n1 x sin Theta1 = n2 x sin Theta2 (Eq. 3)
Where: n1 and n2 are the refractive index; Theta1 and Theta2 are the angles of incidence and
refraction.
The deviation that light undergoes when passing from one medium to another depends on
the speed of light in both media. The physical magnitude that relates speeds in both media is the
relative refractive index (n), which is defined as the ratio between the speed of light in the first
medium (v1) and the speed of light in the second half (v2):
n = v1/ v2 (Eq. 4)
When the first medium is vacuum (v1 = c), the index of refraction that relates to speed of
light in a vacuum with the speed in another medium (v), is called absolute refractive index (n):
n = c / v (Eq. 5)
The speed of light in vacuum is c = 3x 108 m/s and in any other medium it is lower than
this value

APPARATUS AND PROCEDURE

This procedure was conducted using data and tables that were provided in Microsoft
Excel and online simulator:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/products/office
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/color-vision/latest/color-vision_en.html
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/bending-light/latest/bending-light_en.html
The first table analyzed was Table-1 Color Mixing, which consisted in mixing 3 different
colors (blue, green, and red) and observe its reflection on the same plane by human eyes. On
simulator it was possible to observe that blending all color at highest intensity, the color white
could be perceived by human eyes. However, when blending the color in different intensities, a
range of different colors could be perceived.
The second table analyzed was Table 2 Analysis of law of reflection, which consisted in
verifying the light reflected from different angles of reflection and incidence for different
materials (glass and water). It was possible to verify that for both materials the angle of
reflection was considerably similar to the angle of incidence, having a variation raging from 0.5°
to 1.0° for water and glass, respectively. However, except for the second reading (Theta in =

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30° ; Theta rewater = 30.5°; Theta reglass = 31.0°) which marked a difference 1.63% to one another.
Such difference could be justified by reading error.
The third table analyzed was Table 3 Analysis of law of refraction, which consisted in
verifying the refractive index of different materials from different angles of incidence and angle
of reflection. It was possible to observe that both materials behave slightly similar to one
another; where high angles of incidence resulted in higher angles of reflection. However, the
refractive follows a peculiar pattern for each case. Even though, the refractive index obtained
through this experiment did not present a considerable difference to one another for both
materials tested.
The fourth table analyzed was Table 4 Refractive index by graphical method, which
consisted in obtaining the refractive index using the data from table 3 to observe the phenomena
graphically. Graphically both trials present the similar line on the cartesian plan, however, the
slope was slightly different to one another. It is possible to conclude that water and glass pursue
a numerical refractive index considerably close.
The fifth table analyzed was Table 5 Percent error analysis, which consisted in verifying
the percent error of both materials tested. At this table it was possible to verify that the trials
tested in water presented a percent error considerably higher compared to the trials tested in
glass. The source of this error could be attributed by the no proper reading of angles.
The seventh table analyzed was Table 6 Analysis of law of refraction for Mistry
Mediums, which consisted in verifying the refractive index of different materials (Mistry A and
Mistry B) under different angles of incidence and reflection, respectively. For both materials it
is possible to affirm that higher angles of incidence resulted in higher angles of reflection.
However, Mistry A presented smaller angles of reflections under same angle of incidence when
compared to Mistry B which present higher angle of reflection. As a result, in comparison,
Mistry A resulted higher refractive index and Mistry B resulted in lower refractive index.
The eighth table analyzed was Table 7 Refractive index by graphical method, which
consisted in obtaining the refractive index using the data from table 7 to observe the phenomena
graphically. Graphically both trials present the different lines on the cartesian plan, but both are
ascending. Consequently, Mistry B has higher refractive index than Mistry A.
The nineth table analyzed was Table 8 Percent error analysis, which consisted in
verifying the percent error of both materials tested on table. Through this table it is possible to
conclude that the experiment was considerably accurate due to its low percent error: 1.4% and
0.8% for Mistry A and Mistry B, respectively.
The nineth table analyzed was Table 9 Total internal reflection and critical angle, which
consisted in determining the refractive index for all the materials tested on this experiment.
According to the results obtained Mistry A presented higher refractive index by critical angle
(2.459) while water present the smallest refractive index by critical angle (1.256) among the all
materials tested.

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 DATA TABLES AND ANALYSIS
The procedure was divided in three parts and performed on the folloing online
simulators:
Part A: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/color-vision/latest/color-vision_en.html
Part B and B: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/bending-light/latest/bending-light_en.html
The first part of the procedure (Part A) consisted in observing the different colors
perceived by human eyes and compiling the results on Table 1.

Figure 1 Color Mixing Simulator

Table-1 Color Mixing

Color added Resulting color
Red+blue+Grees white
red+ Blue purple
Red+Green yellow
Gree+blue blue-turquoise

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 The second part of the procedure, part B, consisted in analyzing the refractive, refractive
and determining refractive index as follows:

Figure 2 Reflection and Refraction Simulator

The results found were compiled on the following table:

The data available on column 3 and 6 (PD between Theta in and Theta re [%]) were
calculated by Excel using the following functions:
PD_between: (ABS(B26-C26)/((B26+C26)/2))*100
PD_between: (ABS(E26-F26)/((E26+F26)/2))*100

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 The results for analyses of law of refraction were compiled on the following table:

The data available on column 3 and 6 (Refractive Index n) were calculated by Excel
using the following functions:
n(water) = SEN(RADIANOS(B45))/SEN(RADIANOS(C45))
n(glass) = SEN(RADIANOS(E45))/SEN(RADIANOS(F45))
Refractive index by graphical method for water and glass were compiled on the following
table and graphed:

The data available above were calculated by Excel using the following functions:
Water_sin theta (in) = SEN(RADIANOS(B45))
Water_sin theta (re) = SEN(RADIANOS(C45))
Glass_sin theta (in) = SEN(RADIANOS(E45))
Glass_sin theta (re) = SEN(RADIANOS(F45))

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 1.000 Sin theta (in) vc sin theta (re)
0.900 f(x)==1.5
f(x) 1.38
x x
R²R²==11
Sin theta (in)
0.800 Water
0.700
0.600
0.500
0.400
0.300
0.200 0.300 0.400 0.500 0.600 0.700 0.800
Sin theta (re)

Figure 3 Sin theta (in) vs sin theta(re)

The percent error analysis for water and glass were compiled on the following table:

Calculations were performed by Excel using the following functions:

n cal avg (water) = MÉDIA(D45:D50)
n water from graph = slope of the graph
PD = (ABS(C88-D88))/((C88+D88)/2)*100
PE (water) = (ABS(1.333-C88)/1.333)*100
The results for analysis of law of refraction and Mistry Mediums were compiled on the
following table:

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 The data available on column 3 and 6 (Refractive Index n) were calculated by Excel
using the following functions:
n(Mystry A) = SEN(RADIANOS(B101))/SEN(RADIANOS(C101))
n(Mystry B) = SEN(RADIANOS(E101))/SEN(RADIANOS(F101))
Refractive index by graphical method for Mistry A and Mistry B were compiled on the
following table and graphed:

The data available above were calculated by Excel using the following functions:
Mistry_A_ sin theta (in) = SEN(RADIANOS(B101))
Mistry_A_ sin theta (re) = SEN(RADIANOS(C101))
Mistry_B_ sin theta (in) = SEN(RADIANOS(E101))
Mistry_B_ sin theta (re) = SEN(RADIANOS(F101))

Sin theta (in) vs sin theta (re)

1.050
0.950
0.850 f(x) = 2.33 x f(x) = 1.4 x
R² = 1
Sin theta (in)

0.750 R² = 1
0.650 Mystry A
0.550
0.450
0.350
0.250
0.140 0.240 0.340 0.440 0.540 0.640 0.740
Sin theta (re)

Figure 4 Sin theta (in) vs thera (re)

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 The percent error analysis for trials with Mistry A and Mistry B were compiled on the
following table:

Calculations were performed by Excel using the following functions:

n cal avg (Mystry A) = MÉDIA(D101:D106)
n cal avg (Mystry B) = MÉDIA(G101:G106)
n(A) from graph = slope of the graph
PD (Mystry A) = (ABS(C141-D141)/((C141+D141)/2))*100
PD (Mystry B) = (ABS(C142-D142)/((C142+D142)/2))*100
The third part of the experiment consisted in finding the total internal reflection by
critical angle for different materials. The results collected are shown on the following table

The results obtained above for refractive index by critical angle (n critical) and PE
between n critical and n unknown were calculated by Excel using the following functions:
n(critical) = 1/SEN(RADIANOS(C150))
PE (water) = (ABS(1.333-D150)/1.333)*100
PE (Glass) = (ABS(1.5-D151)/1.5)*100

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PE (Mystry A) = (ABS(2.334-D152)/2.334)*100
PE (Mystry B) = (ABS(1.4025-D153)/1.4025)*100

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Through analysis of collected data it is possible to conclude that the laws of refraction
and reflection were satisfactorily verified. Additionally, it is was possible to verify that glass and
water pursue similar angle of reflection while Mistry A and Mistry are materials of which
refraction and reflection completely differ to one another. In summary, it was possible to
conclude that when index refractive on the incident medium is smaller than the index refractive
on refractive medium, the refractive angle will be smaller and vice versa. In critical angles the
incident angle is extrapolated to 90o. which will result in the reflection of the light ray. Thus, for
smaller angles occurs refraction. Regards errors on this experiment, it could be originated by the
reading of the scales.

REFERENCES
[1]. Dr. Haldo N. Physics 291-001. Laboratory manual. 2021.
[2] Samuel J. Ling, Jeff Sanny, William Moebs. University Physics Volume 2. Openstax; 2021.
[3] David Halliday, Robert Resnick, and Jearl Walker, Fundamental of Physics, Wiley (2018)

APPENDIX A: Pre Lab Questions

1. Explain reflection of light and law of reflection?
Reflection is when there is a change in the direction of energy propagation. It occurs when light
returns and reproduces itself in the source medium, then it starts to reflect on the object or a
surface. Law of reflection is basically what defines the reflection phenomena which is set by two
laws.
2. Explain refraction of light?
Refraction the phenomenon in which light is transmitted from one medium to another. However,
it does not change the means of light wave frequency. Changing the propagation speed deviates
from the original direction. It is also set by two laws.
3. Explain Snell's law of refraction?
Snell’s law is also known as the second law of refraction and it is used to calculate the deviation
of light rays when it change the medium.
4. Explain total internal reflection?

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Total reflection is a phenomenon that occurs when light incident on a surface which separates
two media from the largest to the smallest refractive index is totally reflected remaining in the
source medium. This phenomenon only occurs if the angle of incidence is greater than the
critical angle.

5. Name application of total internal reflection?

Optical fibers and some automatic sensors,

APPENDIX B: Post Lab Questions

N/A

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