Change in the direction of

light when passes from

one medium to another of
different optical density
A property of a transparent material that is inverse
to the speed of light.
OPTICAL DENSITY

OPTICAL SPEED OF
DENSITY LIGHT
 STELLAR HALO
SCINTILLATION FORMATION
MIRAGE
REFRACTION OF LIGHT is also responsible for
the image formation in your eyes and lenses.
INDEX OF REFRACTION
The amount of bending
depends on the optical density
of the material.
INDEX OF REFRACTION
More dense to a less dense
bends AWAY from the normal

Less dense to a more dense

bends INTO the normal
Waves going from air to glass at angle other than
90o
⮚ velocity decreases
⮚ frequency remains constant
⮚ Wavelength decreases (from c = f λ)
 r
Air Air r= 90° Air
Glass Glass Glass
i ic i r

⮚ light ray As the angle of

⮚Angle of
travelling from incidence gets
more dense to less bigger, angle of incidence becomes
dense medium refraction gets bigger than the
bigger & critical angle
⮚ refraction then..
occurs eventually
becomes 90o. This
⮚ refracted ray angle of incidence ⮚Total internal
bends away from is called the reflection occurs
the normal. critical angle
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
The speed of light in an unknown medium is measured to be
2.76 x 108 m/s.  (a)  What is the index of refraction of the
medium?
G: v= 2.76 x 10  m/s
8

c= 3x 10  m/s
8

R: index of refraction
E:
S:
The speed of light in an unknown medium is measured to be
1.14x 108 m/s. What is the index of refraction of the
medium?
The speed of light in an unknown medium is measured to be
3.12x 108 m/s. What is the index of refraction of the
medium?
What is the speed of light in an unknown medium when the
index of refraction of the medium is 2.67?
A material has an index refraction of 4.3. What is the speed
of light in this material?
LAWS OF REFRACTION
The incident ray, the
normal to the incidence
point and the refracted ray
are all in one plane
LAWS OF REFRACTION
Named after Willebrord Snell
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
Light travels from air into an optical fiber with
an index of refraction of 1.77.  (a)  In which
direction does the light bend?  (b)  If the angle
of incidence on the end of the fiber is 25 o, what
is the angle of refraction inside the fiber? 
G: N2= 1.77
ѳi= 25 degrees
R: ѳr, direction
E:
S:
Shift + sin for inverse sin to get the angle.
A light ray travels from air (n = 1.0003) into
water (n = 1.33). The angle of incidence is
34°. What is the angle of refraction?
G: N1= 1.0
N2= 1.33
ѳ1= 34 degrees
R: ѳ2
E:
S:
 θ2= 24.84 degrees

Shift + sin for inverse sin to get the angle.

What is the index of refraction of a medium if
the angle of incidence in air is 27 degrees and
the angle of refraction is 29 degrees?
G: N1= 1.0
ѳr= 29 degrees
ѳi= 27 degrees
R: N2
E:
S:
Calculate the angle of refraction in the lower medium.
A ray of light in air strikes a block of quartz at an angle of
incidence of 30°. The angle of refraction is 20°. What is
the index of refraction of the quartz?

What is the index of refraction of a medium if the angle

of incidence in air is 40 degrees and the angle of
refraction is 29 degrees ?
Calculate the index of refraction for medium B.
SHALLOWING EFFECT
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
A coin at the bottom of a cylindrical appears to be 12.6 cm
deep when the cylindrical is filed with water. (a) What is the
real depth of the coin in water? Oil, with an index of
refraction of 1.25, is added to the cylinder. The coin now
appears to be 17.6 cm deep. (b) What is the real depth of the
coin in oil and water?
16. 76 cm
 

Real depth= (1.25)(5cm)

6.25 cm
Real depth of coin in oil and water= Real depth in water + Real depth
in oil

= 16.76 cm + 6.25 cm
= 23.01 cm
Determine the critical angle of the following materials when surrounded by
air:
a. teflon (n = 1.38)
b. Pyrex glass (n = 1.47)
c. Polycarbonate glass (n = 1.59)
d. Sapphire gemstone (n = 1.77)
e. Diamond (n = 2.42)
TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION
 r
Air Air r= 90° Air
Glass Glass Glass
i ic i r

⮚ light ray As the angle of

⮚Angle of
travelling from incidence gets
more dense to less bigger, angle of incidence becomes
dense medium refraction gets bigger than the
bigger & critical angle
⮚ refraction then..
occurs eventually
becomes 90o. This
⮚ refracted ray angle of incidence ⮚Total internal
bends away from is called the reflection occurs
the normal. critical angle