MATE1000

Physics and Engineering of Materials

Semester 2 2007
Tutorial 14 - Solutions
(Light)

1. By writing the E-field as

Ey = 102 sin 3 × 106 π(x − 3 × 108 t) (1)

and comparing it to the general form of E-field in the y-direction

Ey = E0 sin k(x − vt) (2)

we see that v = c = 3 × 108 m/s, and k = 3 × 106 π m−1 . Hence,

2π
λ =
k
2π
=
3 × 106 π m−1
= 666 nm

Which means,
c
f =
λ
3 × 108 ms−1
=
666 × 10−9 m
= 4.5 × 1014 Hz

and therefore,
1 1
T = = = 2.2 × 10−15 s
f 4.5 × 1014
From Eqn 1 we see that the initial phase is 0, and the amplitude is E0y = 102 V/m.

2. We know that I = c0 0 Eo2 from the energy density of the electric and magnetic
fields, so s s
I 0.1
E0 = = = 6.1 V/m
c0 0 3 × 10 × 8.85 × 10−12
8

1
 and
2π 2π
k= = = 4π × 106 m−1
λ 5 × 10−7
Hence,
Ex = 0
Ey = E0 sin k(x − ct) = 6.1 sin 4π × 106 (x − 3 × 108 t)
Ez = 0
and
Bx = 0
By = 0
Ey
Bz = = 2.0 × 10−8 sin 4π × 106 (x − 3 × 108 t)
c

c
3. For this question, we need to use the fact that cg = ng
,

∆t = tg − tv
l l
= −
cg c
lng l
= −
c c
l
= (ng − 1)
c
1
= (1.4 − 1)
3 × 108
= 1.3 ns

4. The lifeguard takes path LDS, this is analogous to refraction, because light will
also take the fastest path between two points, not the shortest.

5. The refractive index of water is n = 1.33. Using snell’s law to find the critical angle
for total internal reflection,
nw sin θc = nair sin 90o
nair sin 90o
⇒ sin θc =
nw
1×1
=
1.33
⇒ θc = 48.8o

2
 r

θc

5m h

and

r = h tan θc
= 3 × tan 48.8o
= 3.4m

Hence, the area of the circle of light on the pool’s surface is

A = πr2 = π(3.4)2 = 36.3 m2