A ray of light travels from air into another medium, making an angle of θ1 = 45.0° with the normal as in the figure below. (a) Find the angle of refraction θ2 if the second medium is flint glass. ° (b) Find the angle of refraction θ2 if the second medium is diamond. ° (c) Find the angle of refraction θ2 if the second medium is benzene.
Refraction of Light
Refraction is a change in the direction of light rays when they travel from one medium to another. It is the bending of light when it goes through different media.
Angle of Refraction
Light is considered by many scientists to have dual nature, both particle nature and wave nature. First, Particle nature is one in which we consider a stream of packets of energy called photons. Second, Wave nature is considering light as electromagnetic radiation whereas part of it is perceived by humans. Visible spectrum defined by humans lies in a range of 400 to 700 nm wavelengths.
Index of Refraction of Diamond
Diamond, the world’s hardest naturally occurring material and mineral known, is a solid form of the element carbon. The atoms are arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. They exist in a huge variety of colours. Also, they are one of the best conductors of heat and have a very high melting point.
A ray of light travels from air into another medium, making an angle of θ1 = 45.0° with the normal as in the figure below.
°
(b) Find the angle of refraction θ2 if the second medium is diamond.
°
(c) Find the angle of refraction θ2 if the second medium is benzene.
°
![**Refraction of Light: Air to a Second Medium**
This educational diagram illustrates the principle of refraction of light as it passes from one medium (air) into another medium.
### Diagram Description:
1. **Incident Ray in Air**:
- The diagram shows a blue arrow representing the incident ray of light coming from the top left and entering the second medium at an angle.
- The angle between the incident ray and the normal (a dashed vertical line) is labeled as \( \theta_1 \).
2. **Second Medium**:
- Below the air, there’s another region labeled "Second medium," indicating a different optical medium with a distinct refractive index compared to air.
3. **Refracted Ray in Second Medium**:
- As the incident ray enters the second medium, it bends towards the normal line. This is depicted by another blue arrow changing direction at the interface.
- The angle between the refracted ray and the normal in the second medium is labeled as \( \theta_2 \).
### Key Concepts:
- **Refraction**: When light travels from one medium to another, its speed changes, causing the light ray to change direction at the boundary between the two media.
- **Angles of Incidence and Refraction**:
- \( \theta_1 \) (Angle of Incidence): The angle between the incident ray (in air) and the normal.
- \( \theta_2 \) (Angle of Refraction): The angle between the refracted ray (in the second medium) and the normal.
- **Snell's Law**: It describes how the angles of incidence \( \theta_1 \) and refraction \( \theta_2 \) relate through the refractive indices (n) of the two media:
\[ n_1 \sin(\theta_1) = n_2 \sin(\theta_2) \]
where \( n_1 \) is the refractive index of air, and \( n_2 \) is the refractive index of the second medium.
### Educational Insights:
- The direction of bending depends on the relative refractive indices of the two media. Light bends towards the normal if it slows down (moving to a medium with a higher refractive index) and away from the normal if it speeds up (moving to a medium with a lower refractive index).
- The diagram can be used to introduce and explain Snell](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2Fc1e92540-cdcd-4061-bb75-104670a077d4%2F02651edd-dfd9-47f9-8897-45fc845fd7a3%2F4elq0lv.gif&w=3840&q=75)
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