REFRACTION AT PLANE SURFACES

Total No.of questions in Refraction at Plane Surfaces are -

In Chapter Examples.............................................................. 03
Solved Examples ................................................................... 05

Total No. of questions .......................................................... 08

1. INTRODUCTION 2 c /v2 v1
 1  2 =  = c / v = v
The phenomenon of change in path of light as 1 1 2
it goes from one medium to another is called
Velocity of light in first medium
refraction. =
Velocity of light in sec ond medium
Refraction phenomenon can be categories,
depending upon the type of separating surface Note : 1.
which can be further subdivided depending 1 v2
upon the shape of the medium as follows : 21 =  = v
2 1

v1 v 2
  12 × =  = 1
21 v 2 v1
1
 12 =
2 1
2. I f d AC a nd d A P a re t he ac t ua l a nd
apparent distances of the object f rom
Let us study the refraction phenomenon for the plane of the boundary when looked
individual cases : f rom  2 to  1 the

2. ABSOLUT E REFRACTIVE INDEX d AC

21 = d
AP
The refractive index () of a medium is defined
as the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum
4. LAWS OF REFRACT ION
(c) to the speed of light in the medium (v),
i.e.,  = c/v (a) Frequency (and hence colour) and phase
Note: do not change (while wav elength and
velocity changes)
1. It is a scalar quantity without any unit or
dimension. (b) Incident ray, refracted ray, and normal
always lie in the same plane.
2. If   and  0 are electric permittivity and
magnetic permeability of vacuum while (c) SNELL’S LAW :
 and  are that of a given medium then, Normal
1 1
c = and v = Incident
0 0  Ray
i Rarer
 medium
so that  = c / v = 0 0 = r  r
Denser
3. For vacuum,  = 1 as v = c medium r
4. Absolute refractive index of any medium
is greater than one. Refracted
Ray
5. Refractive index of a medium also depends
on the wavelength of light used. As per Ratio of ‘Sine’ of angle of incidence t o
Cauchy’s formula angle of refraction is always a constant,
i.e., for all v alues of i & r –
 = A + B/ 2 + .....
longer the wavelength smaller is the sin i
refractive index. sin r
= Constant = 12

3. RELATIVE REFRACTIVE INDEX Velocity of light in first medium

=
Velocity of light in sec ond medium
The relative refractive index of two media is
equal to the ratio of their absolute refractive v1 
=  1
indices. v2 2
5. APPLICATION OF SNELL’S LAW (d) CONDITIONS OF NO REFRACTION :
(A) If l ight i s i ncident normall y on a
(a) W hen light passes from rarer to denser boundary i.e.,  i  0º,
medium it bends toward the normal. Then f rom Snell’s law,
Using Snell’s law

1
R 1
D 2

2
 1 sin 0 =  2 sin r,
 1 sin 1 =  2 Sin 
 sin r = 0 i.e.  r = 0 i.e.,
sin 1 2 l ight passes undev i at ed f rom the
sin  2 =
1 boundary.
(So boundary will be invisible)
Thus if  2 >  1 then  2 <  1
(B) If the refractive indices of two media
(b) W hen light passes from denser to rarer
are equal i.e., if,
medium it bends away from the normal.
From Snell’s law.

1
R 1
D 2
2
 1 =  2 = ,
Then f rom Snell’s law
Sin1 2  sin i =  sin r
=
Sin 2 1      i =  r
Thus, if  2 <  1 . Then  2 >  1 i.e., ray passes undev iated from the
(c) W hen light propagates through a series of boundary with
layers of different medium, then according  i =  r   0 and boundary will not
to Snell’s law be visible.
This is also why a transparent solid is
1 invisible in a liquid
1
if  S =  L
2 2 (e) RELAT IO N BET WEEN OBJECT AND
3 IMAGE DISTANCE :
3
An obj ect O pl aced i n f i rst m edi um
4 4 (refractive index  1 ) is viewed from the
1 second medium (refractive index 2). Then
1 the image distance d AP and the object
distance d AC are related as
 1 sin 1 =  2 sin 2 =  3 sin 3 = .......
 2 
= constant d AP =    d AC
 1
 (A) faster to an observer in
2 denser medium. If v 0 = v then
1
v =  v
W here , v 0 & v   represents object
and image velocities respectively.
 O 2 > 1 (B) If an object O moves toward the plane
dA C
boundary of a rarer medium then the
image appears to be closer but moves
dA P slower to an observer in rarer medium.
If v 0 = v then v  = v/
If  2 >  1 , i.e.,
when the object is observed from a
denser medium,
It appears to be farther away from the
interface,
i.e., d AP > d AC
(B)

1 2
(g) DEVIATION ()
(A) A light ray travelling from a denser to
a rarer medium at an angle  <  C
O  2 < 1 then deviation.
dAP

dAC
 
R
If  2 <  1 , i.e.,
D
when the object is observed from a  µ
rarer medium.
it appears to be closer to the interface,  < c
i.e., d AP < d AC
Note : The abov e f orm ula is  =  –  = sin –1 ( sin ) – 
applicable only f or normal view or
paraxial ray assumption. 
and  max = – C
(f) RELAT ION BET WEEN OBJECT AND 2
IMAGE VELOCITIES (B) If light is incident at an angle  >  C ,
(A) If an object O moves toward the plane Then the angle of deviation is = – 2 
boundary of a denser medium then the and  max =  – 2 C
image appears to be farther but moves

  < c


• •

v O v 
E  

 > c
 (C) Graphically the relation between  &  (b) As,c =     and v =   
can be shown as
v 1
           
–2c c 
– 3
i.e.,  =    =× 6000Å = 4500Å
2 c 4
(c) Frequency is the characteristics of source
so it will not change with change in
O c   c v 3  10 8
2 medium, i.e.,      
0  6  10 7
6. TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION
      5 × 10 14 Hz
(a) INTRODUCTION : (d) Col our of l ight is determ i ned by it s
R µ2 frequency (and not wavelength) and as
frequency is not changing, colour will
D
c

0
7
ò µ1 remain the same as in vacuum i.e., yellow.

Ex.2 A ray of light is incident on a transparent


glass-slab of refractive index 1.5. If the
I t is def i ned as t he phenomenon of
reflected and refracted rays are mutually
reflection of light that takes place, when
perpendi cul ar, wha t i s t he angl e of
a ray of light travelling in a denser medium
incidence ?
gets incident at the interface of the two
media, at an angle greater than the critical
angle for that pair of media, and reflects
back to the denser medium.
At the critical angle ( C ), the refracted
ray just grazes the boundary between two Sol.
media.
Using Snell’s law,
 1 sin  C =  2 sin 90º
Here r + 90º + r’ = 180º
   C = sin –1 ( 2 /  1 )
  r’ = 90º – r
(b) CRITICAL ANGLE :
or, r’ = (90º – i) as   i = r
It is the angle of incidence (while going
Now, according to Snell’s law :
from denser to rarer medium ) of light for
which angle of refraction is 90° . It is sin i =  sin r’
denoted by  C =  sin (90º – i)
or, tan i = 
Examples
based on Refraction at Plane Boundary or, i = tan –1  = tan –1 (1.5) = 56.3º
Note: i = tan –1  is called Brewester law.
Ex.1 Light of wavelength 6000Å enters from our
into water (a medium of refractive index 7. REFRACTION BY SLAB
4/3).Find (a) speed, (b) wavelength, (c)
frequency and (d) colour of light in water W hen light falls on the surface of a different
[C = 3 × 10 8 m/s] medium of thickness ‘t’and emerges out into
the previous medium, W hich comes out to be
c
Sol.(a) As are know,  = parallel to incident ray at some distance ‘d’,
v (known as lateral displacement)
c 3
 v =  × 3 × 10 8 Note : Refracting surfaces are parallel to each
 4
other.
= 2.25 × 10 8 m/s
7.1 CALCULATION OF LATERAL DISPLACEMENT (b) FOR DIVERGING RAYS :
As the refracting surfaces are parallel,
incident ray and emergent ray are parallel,
i.e., The light ray under goes zero dev iation
( = 0). i.e., i = e
The lateral displacement of the ray is the
perpendicular distance between the incident
and emergent ray
AC = t tan i, AB = t tan r
Again, BD = BC cos e = BC cos i
d = t (tan i – tan r) cos i
W hen the same slab is placed in the
path of divergent beam, then the point
of divergence is shifted by,
 1
S = 1   t
 
Note :
1. The shift ‘S’ is always in the direction
of light.
 sin i sin r 
= t    cos i 2. I f t h e sl a b i s m a d e o f a i r a n d
 cos i cos r 
surrounding medium is of refractive
t (sin i cos r  cos i sin r ) index , Then the apparent shift would
= cos i
cos i cos r
be S = t ( – 1)
sin(i  r )
= t 3. If n number of slabs with dif ferent
cos r
thickness and ref ractiv e index are
7.2 APPARENT SHIFT :
placed between the observer and the
(a) FOR CONVERGING RAYS :
object, then the total apparent shift is
e q u a l t o t h e su m m a t i o n o f t h e
individual shifts.
 S = S 1 + S 2 + ........... + S n

 1  1
= t 1 1   + t 2 1   + ..
 1   2 

n
 1  1
+ t n 1 

 =
n   t 1   
i1
i
i

W hen a sl ab of t hi ckness t and 4. If there are n number of slabs with

refractive index  is placed in the path different thickness and refractive index,
of a conv ergent beam, then the point one ov er the other then
of convergence is shifted by
d AC = t 1 + t 2 + ................ + t n

 1 t1 t 2 tn
S = 1   t And d AP =  + ...... +
  1  2 n
 d AC
So,   =
d AP

t1t 2 ........t n
=
 t1   t 2  t 
      .........   n 

 1  2   n 

 ti
= or s = 2 + 1.5 = 3.5 cm
t 
 i
 i  The apparent depth of the coin from the
top is t = (8 + 4.5) – 3.5 = 9 cm
In case of two liquids with t 1 = t 2 and, the real depth of the coin is t 1 + t 2
21 2
= 8 + 4.5 = 12.5
 =  The effective refractive index is
1 2
i.e. , harmonic mean. t1  t 2 12.5
 eff =  = 1.39
t 9
Examples
based on Refraction by Slabs

Ex.3 From the fig., determine the apparent shift

in the position of the coin. Also, find the
effective refractive index of the combination
of the glass and water slab.
Sol. Total apparent shift is

 1  1
s = t 1 1    t 2  1  
 1   2 

 1   1 
or s = 8 1    4.5 1  
 4 / 3   3 /2 
 SOLVED EXAMPLES
Ex.1 The apparent depth of a swimming pool is Ex.4 Light from a sodium (0 = 589 nm) passes
1.2 m . What is its real depth ? through a tank of glycerin (refractive index
Sol. Swimming pool means water = 4/3. So that 1.47) 20m long in a time t1. If it takes a time
the real depth
t2 to traverse the same tank when filled with
R = a 
carbon disulphide (index 1.63), then the
4 difference t2  t1 is
= 1.2 x
3 (A) 6.67 x 108 sec (B) 1.09 x 107 sec
= 1.6 m (C) 2.07 x 107 sec (D) 1.07 x 107 sec
Ex.2 A glass plate 4 mm thick is viewed from the C
above through a microscope. The microscope Sol. Since v =
n
must be lowered 2.58 mm as the operator
The time taken are
shifts from viewing the top surface to viewing
the bottom surface through the glass. What 20 (1.63)
t2 =
is the index of refraction of the glass ? C
20 (1.47)
Sol. From the information given, it is clear that t1 =
the apparent depth is 2.58 mm and the real C
depth is 4mm. Therefore, the refractive index Therefore , the difference is
will be 20 (1.63  1.47 )
t2  t 1 =
R 4 C
 = =
a 2.58
20 x 0.16
= 1.55 =
3 x 10 8
Ex.3 A vertical microscope is focussed on a point
at the bottom of an empty tank. Water ( = = 1.07 x 10-7 sec.
4/3) is then poured into the tank. The height Hence the correct answer is (D).
of the water column is 4cm. Another lighter
liquid, which does not mix with water and Ex.5 A ray of light falls on a transparent glass
which has refractive index 3/2 is then poured slab of refractive index . If the reflected ray
over the water.The height of liquid column is and refracted ray are mutually perpendicular,
2cm. What is the vertical distance through then the angle of incidence is
which the microscope must be moved to (A) sin1 () (B) sin1 ()
bring the object in focus again ? (C) tan1 () (D) tan1 ()

Sol. The apparent shift of the bottom point Sol. When the reflected ray and refracted ray are
upwards will be mutually perpendicular , then
x = x1 + x 2 i + r + 90º = 180º
or r = 90º  i
incident reflected
 1  1 Therefore ray
= t1  1    + t2  1    ray
 1  2 sin i sin i i i
 = =
sin r sin (90º i) 90º
 1   1  r refra
= 4 1   + 2 1  
sin i ray cte
 (4 / 3 )  (3 / 2)  d
= = tan i
cos i
 3  2
= 4 1  4  + 2 1  3  Thus the angle of incidence is
i = tan1 
= 1.67 cm. The correct answer is (D).