A physicist directs a laser beam through a transparent medium, toward one surface of an equilateral prism. (The beam travels, and remains in, the plane of the page.) Incident on Surface 1 at an angle ?1, the beam then encounters Surface 2 from within the prism. If the angle of incidence at Surface 2 equals ?c , the critical angle for this prism, what is the original incidence angle, ?1 (in degrees)? The critical angle in this case is ?c = 40.5°. 40.5° 40.5° A prism in the shape of an equilateral triangle is shown. The triangle is upside down such that the base of the triangle is at the top of the figure and the apex is at the bottom. A laser beam comes in from the top left, moves down and to the right and is incident on the center of the base of the triangle. This surface is labeled Surface 1. The incident beam makes an angle of ?1 with the vertical. Within the prism, the beam continues to move down and to the right but at a slope which is steeper than the initial beam. It is incident on the right side of the prism, labeled Surface 2, about two-thirds of the way down and makes an angle of 40.5° with the normal. Some of the beam is reflected, making an angle of 40.5° with the normal, and moves down and to the left. The rest of the beam moves down and to the left but at a steeper slope than the previous beam, and moves along the surface of the prism. The angle between Surface 1 and Surface 2 is 60.0°.

College Physics

11th Edition

ISBN:9781305952300

Author:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille

Publisher:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille

Chapter1: Units, Trigonometry. And Vectors

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 1CQ: Estimate the order of magnitude of the length, in meters, of each of the following; (a) a mouse, (b)...

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A physicist directs a laser beam through a transparent medium, toward one surface of an equilateral prism. (The beam travels, and remains in, the plane of the page.) Incident on Surface 1 at an angle ?₁, the beam then encounters Surface 2 from within the prism.

If the angle of incidence at Surface 2 equals ?_c , the critical angle for this prism, what is the original incidence angle, ?₁ (in degrees)? The critical angle in this case is ?_c = 40.5°.

40.5°

A prism in the shape of an equilateral triangle is shown. The triangle is upside down such that the base of the triangle is at the top of the figure and the apex is at the bottom. A laser beam comes in from the top left, moves down and to the right and is incident on the center of the base of the triangle. This surface is labeled Surface 1. The incident beam makes an angle of ?₁ with the vertical. Within the prism, the beam continues to move down and to the right but at a slope which is steeper than the initial beam. It is incident on the right side of the prism, labeled Surface 2, about two-thirds of the way down and makes an angle of 40.5° with the normal. Some of the beam is reflected, making an angle of 40.5° with the normal, and moves down and to the left. The rest of the beam moves down and to the left but at a steeper slope than the previous beam, and moves along the surface of the prism. The angle between Surface 1 and Surface 2 is 60.0°.

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