Refraction of light

Each sentence below contains some mistakes. Identify the

mistakes and write correct versions.
1. The angle of incidence is the angle between the mirror
and the ray.
2. The angle of reflection is always less than the angle of
incidence.
3. The image formed in a mirror is a real image.
4. A plane mirror has a curved surface.
5. The unusual is a line drawn at 90° to the point where
the ray hits the surface.
 Learning outcomes
• Describe an experimental demonstration of
the refraction of light
• Use the terminology for the angle of incidence
i and angle of refraction r and describe the
passage of light through parallel-sided
transparent material
 Summary questions
• What is the law of reflection?
• What is a plane mirror?
• What is the normal and why is it important?
• How is a virtual image different from a real
image?
• How do light rays travel?
 Refraction of light
Think back to Y8 Physics. Try to answer these
questions:
1. What is refraction?
2. What causes refraction?
3. How do you measure the angle of incidence
and the angle of refraction? (draw a diagram)
1. Refraction is the change in direction of a wave as it
goes from one medium to another.
2. Refraction is caused by the change in the speed of
the wave.
3. See the diagram below:
normal
Refraction is a bit like...
 Practical
Draw the normal
where the light ray
will enter the block.
Mark two crosses to
show the path of the
ray that enters the
block.
Do the same for the
ray that leaves the
block.
Draw in the incident ray, emergent ray, remove the block and then join
up the two rays. Repeat several times with the light ray entering the
block at different angles. Write down your observations.
 Observations
1. What happens as the ray enters the block from the
air?
2. What happens as the ray leaves the block into air?
3. What happens when the angle of incidence = 0?
4. What do you notice and the incoming ray and the
emergent ray?
 Observations
1. When the ray slows down it bends towards the
normal.
2. When the ray speeds up it bends away from the
normal.
3. Normal rays are not refracted.
4. The incoming and emergent ray are parallel but the
emergent ray has been shifted compared to the
incoming ray.
 Refraction
What happens to light rays that make it very difficult for
this hunter to spear small fish?
The rays of light coming from the fish are refracted when they
leave the water. The image of the fish is higher up and more
distant than the actual fish.
 Refracted image formation

image

object

This is how you can determine the apparent position of an object

that is under water. The rays bend away from the normal when
they leave the water. You retrace the rays back to where they
seem to be coming from. This is the position of the image.
 Plenary
Write a quiz about waves. This should have at least ten
questions. When you have finished swap it with a
friend to complete.
 Homework
• Answer q 1-2 on p 125.