Homework #3

Assuming that the index of refraction of water is 4/3 and that raindrops are spherical, show that
the location of a rainbow is approximately 42o above the line from the sun to you.

We can talk about this in class, but here are the steps to solve this problem:

1. Find the angle of deviation that the turns as if refracts, reflects and the refracts within the
spherical raindrop.

2. Using Snell’s law you can write down the angle of deviation just in terms of the angle that the
light enters.

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3. For a rainbow to form the light has to “bunch up” all at the same angle. In order words, the
angle of deviation will be a constant as a function of the angle of incidence where the rainbow
forms. All the light that comes in leaves at the same angle at this point. You can find this angle
by taking the derivative and putting it equal to zero.

The derivative is zero when the plot plateaus. The incident angle is on the x-axis and the angle
of deviation is on the y-axis. Taking the derivative and putting this to zero gets you the incident
angle that the rainbow will form at.

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4. However, you want the angle of deviation. So put the incident angle you just found back in the
original equation. The angle you are looking for is 180o minus this.

5. Show all your math and working out for this problem!