Refraction Tutorial
Lesson 1: Refraction at a Boundary
Boundary Behavior
Lesson 1: Refraction at a Boundary
The Cause of Refraction
3. Why does refraction occur?
4. Under what condition will refraction NOT occur when light passes from one boundary to another where its speed is different?
Lesson 1: Refraction at a Boundary
Optical Density and Light Speed
Read this section.
Lesson 1: Refraction at a Boundary
The Direction of Bending
5. Apply your understanding of refraction principles to predict the path of the tractor and the light wave as it travels through the triangle-shaped obstacle. Draw the path on the diagram below.
6. When light passes from a more optically dense medium into a less optically dense medium, it will bend _______ (towards, away from) the normal.
7. When light passes from a less optically dense medium into a more optically dense medium, it will bend _______ (towards, away from) the normal.
8. When light passes from a medium with a high index of refraction value into a medium with a low index of refraction value, it will bend _______ (towards, away from) the normal.
9. When light passes from a medium with a low index of refraction value into a medium with a high index of refraction value, it will bend _______ (towards, away from) the normal.
10. In each diagram, draw the "missing" ray (either incident or refracted) in order to appropriately show that the direction of bending is towards or away from the normal.
11. Arthur Podd's method of fishing involves spearing the fish while standing on the shore. The actual location of a fish is shown in the diagram below. Because of the refraction of light, the observed location of the fish is different than its actual location. Indicate on the diagram the approximate location where Arthur observes the fish to be. Must Arthur aim above or below where the fish appears to be in order to strike the fish?
Lesson 1: Refraction at a Boundary
The Secret of the Archer Fish
13. What is the secret of the archer fish?
Lesson 2: The Mathematics of Refraction
The Angle of Refraction
14. Which of the following materials has the greatest optical density? How do you know?
Lesson 2: The Mathematics of Refraction
Snell's Law
15. In the following two examples, use Snell's law, the sine button on your calculator, a protractor, and the index of refraction values to complete the following diagrams. Measure , calculate , and draw in the refracted ray with the calculated angle of refraction.
Lesson 2: The Mathematics of Refraction
Ray Tracing and Problem-Solving
16. Determine the angle of refraction for the following two refraction problems.
18. A ray of light in crown glass exits into air at an angle of 25.0 degrees. Determine the angle at which the light approached the glass-air boundary. Refer to the table of indices of refraction if necessary.
19. A ray of light is traveling through air (n=1.00) towards a lucite block (n=1.40) in the shape of a 30-60-90 triangle. Trace the path of the light ray through the lucite block shown in the diagram below.
Lesson 2: The Mathematics of Refraction
Determination of n Values
20. Cal Culator is performing an experiment to determine the index of refraction of an unknown material (in the shape of a 45-45-90 triangle). Cal determines that the light follows the path as shown on the diagram below. Use this path, a protractor, a calculator and Snell's Law to determine the index of refraction of the unknown material.
21. The path of a light ray through an unknown material is shown in the diagram below. Make some measurements and determine the index of refraction of the material.
22. Light traveling through air (n = 1.00) is incident upon a triangular block made of an unknown material. The path of the light through the material is shown in the diagram below. Using a protractor and a calculator, determine the index of refraction of the unknown material
