‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

LIGHT
Light in a Medium

The light enters from the left.

The light may encounter an electron.
The electron may absorb the light, oscillate,
and reradiate the light.
The absorption and radiation cause the
average speed of the light moving through the
material to decrease.
The Index of Refraction

The speed of light in any material is less than its speed in vacuum.
The index of refraction, 𝑛, of a medium can be defined as

𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑣𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑚 𝑐

• 𝑛= =
𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑣
INDEX OF REFRACTION, CONT.

For a vacuum, 𝑛 = 1

 We assume 𝑛 = 1 for air also

For other media, 𝑛 > 1

𝑛 is a dimensionless number greater than unity.

 𝑛 is not necessarily an integer.

Some Indices of Refraction
FREQUENCY BETWEEN MEDIA

As light travels from one medium to another, its

frequency does not change.

 Both the wave speed and the wavelength do change.

INDEX OF REFRACTION EXTENDED

The frequency stays the same as the wave travels from one medium to the other.
𝑣 = 𝑓λ
 ƒ1 = ƒ2 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑣1  𝑣2 𝑠𝑜 𝜆1  𝜆2
The ratio of the indices of refraction of the two media can be expressed as various ratios.
𝑐
𝜆1 𝑣1 𝑛1 𝑛2
= = 𝑐 =
𝜆2 𝑣2 𝑛1
𝑛2
The index of refraction is inversely proportional to the wave speed.
 As the wave speed decreases, the index of refraction increases.
 The higher the index of refraction, the more it slows downs the light wave speed.
SNELL’S LAW OF REFRACTION

𝑛1 sin 𝜃1 = 𝑛2 sin 𝜃2

 𝜃1 is the angle of incidence

 𝜃2 is the angle of refraction

The experimental discovery of this relationship is usually credited to Willebrord

Snell and is therefore known as Snell’s law of refraction.
CRITICAL ANGLE

There is a particular angle of incidence that will result in an

angle of refraction of 90𝑜 .

 This angle of incidence is called the critical angle, 𝜃𝑐 .

𝑛2
• sin θ𝑐 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑛1 > 𝑛2
𝑛1
CRITICAL ANGLE, CONT.

For angles of incidence greater than the critical angle, the beam is entirely
reflected at the boundary.

 This ray obeys the law of reflection at the boundary.

TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION

•A phenomenon called total internal reflection can occur when

light is directed from a medium having a given index of refraction
toward one having a lower index of refraction.
Fiber Optics

An application of internal reflection

Plastic or glass rods are used to “pipe” light

from one place to another.

Applications include:

 Medical examination of internal organs

 Telecommunications
For air and vacuum
𝑛 = 1 , 𝑣 = 3 ∗ 108 𝑚/𝑠

sin θ2 λ2 𝑣2 𝑛1
= = =
sin θ1 λ1 𝑣1 𝑛2

Critical angle

𝑛2
sin θ𝑐 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑛1 > 𝑛2
𝑛1
EXAMPLE

A beam of light of wavelength 500 𝑛𝑚 travelling in air is incident on a

slab of transparent material. The incident beam makes an angle of 44°
with the normal; and the refracted beam makes an angle of 30° with
the normal. Find
a) The index of refraction of the material.
b) The wavelength of light in the transparent material.
c) The velocity of light in the transparent material.
d) The frequency of light beam.
Travelling in air
λ1 = 500 𝑛𝑚 = 500 ∗ 10−9 𝑚
𝑛1 = 1
𝑣1 = 3 ∗ 108 𝑚/𝑠
• θ1 = 44𝑜
• θ2 = 30𝑜
λ1 = 500 𝑛𝑚 = 500 ∗ 10−9 𝑚 λ2 =? ? (𝑏)

𝑛1 = 1 𝑛2 =? ? (𝑎)

𝑣1 = 3 ∗ 108 𝑚/𝑠 𝑣2 =? ? (𝑐)

θ1 = 44𝑜 θ2 = 30𝑜

𝑓 =? ? (𝑑)
A) THE INDEX OF REFRACTION OF THE MATERIAL.

sin θ2 λ2 𝑣2 𝑛1
• = = =
sin θ1 λ1 𝑣1 𝑛2

sin θ1 sin 44
• 𝑛2 = 𝑛1 =1∗
sin θ2 sin 30

• 𝑛2 = 1.38932
B) THE WAVELENGTH OF LIGHT IN THE
TRANSPARENT MATERIAL.

sin θ2 λ2
• =
sin θ1 λ1

sin θ2 sin 30
• λ2 = λ1 = 500 𝑛𝑚
sin θ1 sin 44

• λ2 = 359.8891349 𝑛𝑚
C) THE VELOCITY OF LIGHT IN THE TRANSPARENT
MATERIAL.

sin θ2 𝑣2
• =
sin θ1 𝑣1

sin θ2 8 sin 30
• 𝑣2 = 𝑣1 = 3 ∗ 10 𝑚/𝑠
sin θ1 sin 44

• 𝑣2 = 215933480.9 𝑚/𝑠

• 𝑣2 = 2.16 ∗ 108 𝑚/𝑠

D) THE FREQUENCY OF LIGHT BEAM.

• 𝑣 = 𝑓λ
𝑣
•𝑓=
λ

𝑣1 3∗108
•𝑓= = = 6 ∗ 1014 𝐻𝑧
λ1 500∗10−9

𝑣2 215933480.9
•𝑓= = = 5.9999 ∗ 1014 𝐻𝑧 = 6 ∗ 1014 𝐻𝑧
λ2 359.8891349∗10−9
CRITICAL ANGLE EXAMPLE

• Find the critical angle for silica -air boundaries, the

index of refraction of silica is (𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎 = 1.458).
TO FIND THE CRITICAL ANGLE

• 𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎 = 1.458

• 𝑛𝑎𝑖𝑟 = 1

𝑛2
• sin θ𝑐 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑛1 > 𝑛2
𝑛1

𝑛2 𝑛𝑎𝑖𝑟 1
• sin θ𝑐 = = =
𝑛1 𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎 1.458

1
• θ𝑐 = sin−1 = 43.3
1.458
THANKS