Total Internal Reflection

Total Internal Reflection

• The learning Outcomes for this topic are as follows:
• Describe the conditions needed for total internal reflection.
• Calculate the critical angle
When does TIR occur?
• When the light hits the boundary between the glass and the air at a
large enough angle from the normal.

• It means all of the light is reflected back inside the glass.

• This happens if the angle at which the light hits the boundary is above
the critical angle.
• Below the Critical Angle
• At the critical angle (I = ic)

ic°
• Above the critical angle (I > ic)
• This is total internal reflection
Where can this be seen?
• The effect can be seen when light travels from an optically dense
material to an optically less dense material.

• TIR only occurs when:

• Angle of the light is above the critical angle.
• The light is travelling in the more dense of the two materials.
η and the critical angle (c°)
• Write down:

• What do you think the relationship between the

refractive index and the critical angle is?

• The higher the refractive index, the lower the critical

angle.
TIR in optical fibre
Optical Fibres
• Task:

Write down 2 places Optical Fibres are used.

Problems:
Calculate the critical angle of materials with the following refractive
index

• 1.4

• 1.5

• 1.3