Refraction and Reflection
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What is refraction?
The bending of a wave (changing direction) when it crosses from a material with one speed to a material with a different speed.
How does light bend when it moves from a fast medium to a slow medium?
It bends towards the normal.
How does light bend when it moves from a slow medium to a fast medium?
It bends away from the normal.
What happens to the angle of refraction as the angle of incidence increases?
The angle of refraction also increases.
What is the “critical angle”?
The exact angle of incidence that results in an angle of refraction of 90 degrees along the boundary.
What is total internal reflection (TIR)?
When the angle of incidence is increased beyond the critical angle, all the light is reflected back into the more dense medium.
How do optic fibres utilize total internal reflection?
They use a slower inner glass core and faster outer cladding so that light hitting the boundary is repeatedly reflected back into the inner core without escaping.
What is a common application of optic fibres?
A vast network of undersea and overland cables that carry global data/signals at the speed of light.