Refraction through a Rectangular Glass Slab

The above diagram shows the refraction of light through a rectangular glass slab ABCD.
The line NN’ is normal to face AB at point O and MM’ is normal to face CD at O′. The
incident ray EO at point O has entered from a rarer medium to a denser medium, that is,
from air to glass and the refracted ray OO′ bends towards the normal. At O′, the light ray
OO′ has entered from glass to air, that is, from a denser medium to a rarer medium and
the emergent ray O′H bends away from the normal.

We can see that the emergent ray O′H is parallel to the direction of the incident ray. This
is because the extent of bending of the ray of light at the opposite parallel faces AB (air-
glass interface) and CD (glass-air interface) of the rectangular glass slab is equal and
opposite. However, the light ray is shifted sideward slightly, by an amount O’L. This is
called lateral shift or lateral displacement.

In above diagram, ∠r1=∠i2 (corresponding angles). Let us show that the angle of
incidence (∠i1) and angle of emergence (∠r2) are also equal.

For refraction at face AB, we can write,

 sin 𝑖1
𝑛𝑔𝑎 =
sin 𝑟1

For refraction at face CD, we can write,

sin 𝑖2
𝑛𝑎𝑔 =
sin 𝑟2
sin 𝑟
𝑂𝑟, 𝑛𝑎𝑔 = sin 𝑟1 (since ∠r1=∠i2)
2
But,
1
𝑛𝑔𝑎 =
𝑛𝑎𝑔
Therefore,
sin 𝑖1 sin 𝑟1
= 1/ � �
sin 𝑟1 sin 𝑟2
Or,
sin 𝑖1 sin 𝑟2
=
sin 𝑟1 sin 𝑟1
Or,
sin 𝑖1 = sin 𝑟2
Therefore,
∠𝑖1 = ∠𝑟2

Spherical Lenses: A transparent material bound by two surfaces, of which one or both
surfaces are spherical, forms a lens.

Convex Lens: A lens having two spherical surfaces, bulging outwards, is called a
double convex or simply a convex lens. It is thicker at the middle as compared to the
edges.

Concave Lens: A lens having two spherical surfaces, bulging inwards, is called a
double concave or simply a concave lens. It is thicker at the edges than at the middle.

A lens, either a convex lens or a concave lens, has two spherical surfaces. Each of these
surfaces forms a part of a sphere. The centres of these spheres are called centres of
curvature of the lens. The centre of curvature of a lens is usually represented by the
letter C. Since there are two centres of curvature, we may represent them as C1 and C2.

An imaginary straight line passing through the two centres of curvature of a lens is
called its principal axis. The central point of a lens is its optical centre. It is usually
represented by the letter O. The edge to edge length MN is called the aperture of the
lens.