(1) The light ray must be travel

from an optically denser

LESSON 3 medium to less dense
TOTAL INTERNAL medium.
REFLECTION (2) The angle of incidence must
be greater than the critical
What is meant by ‘ Total Internal angle.
Reflection ‘

The total reflection of a beam of light

at the interface of one medium and
another medium of lower refractive
index (optically less dense) , when the
angle of incidence to the second
medium exceeds a specific critical The Critical Angle, c
angle. The angle of incidence in an optically
more dense medium which results in
Ray diagram to show how the angle of refraction of 90o in an
Total Internal Reflection happen ? optically less dense.

Determine the relationship

between Refractive index (n) and
Critical angle (c)

(1) Angle of incidence ,i1 is small.

Produces a strong refracted
ray and a weak reflected ray.

(2) Angle of incidence is increased

as i2.
Produces a refracted ray and
a reflected ray whose intensity
has increased compared to the
situation in (1)
n = sin i
(3) Angle of incidence is increased sin r
to the critical angle, c. =
The refracted ray travels along
the water-air boundary. n=
(4) Angle of incidence , i3 > c.
No refraction occurs.
All the light is reflected within Example 1
the water .
Total internal reflection occurs. The diagram shows a light ray
entering in a glass prism.
The conditions for the occurrence [ Refractive index of glass = 1.51 ]
of total internal reflection.

24
 Draw the ray light after it passes
through the point P when
(a) θ = 25o (b)θ = 30o (c) θ =
35 o

Solution
(a) Determine the critical angle of
the glass.
(b) Draw the ray light after it
passes through a point P until
the direction of the ray of light
unchanged.

Solution

Experiment to determine the

critical angle of glass.

A semi-circular glass block is placed

on a sheet of white paper.
The outline of the glass block is traced
Example 2 onto the paper as ABC.
The glass block is put aside.
Figure shows a light ray AO travelling A normal ON is drawn.
from medium X to the air. The glass block is placed again on its
[The refractive index of medium X = outline.
2.0 ] A ray of light from the ray box is
directed to glass block.
The angle of incidence is increased
until the refracted ray travels along
the length of the air- glass boundary (
refraction angle is 90o ).
By using a protractor the angle of
incidence is measured = c
The critical angle of the glass block =
c

25
 Binocular
Natural phenomena and Use of
Total Internal Reflection.

Mirages

In the time when the weather is hot ,

the incidence ray from the sun passes
through a dense air layer to a less
dense air layer.
Finally , the ray of passes through the
air layer close to the road surface at
an angle of incidence greater than the
critical angle.
Total internal reflection occurs at this
layer.
The observer sees the image of the
sky on the surface of the road as a
pool of water.
Prism periscope

A ray light experiences two total

internal reflections at each prism.
The two prisms are to invert the
image (upside down and right-to-
left.) But the lenses in the
binoculars also invert the image
The periscope is built using two right – and so the prisms put it back the
angled prisms made of glass . right way again.
The critical angle of the prism is 42o . So the final image in binoculars is
The angle of incidence is 45o is greater upright ,not laterally inverted and
than the critical angle. magnified.
Total internal reflection occurs.
The characteristics of the images are
(i) Virtual (ii) Upright (iii) Same size Fibre optics
as the object.
Advantages of the prism periscope
compared to mirror periscope,
(i) The image is brighter
(ii) No multiple images is formed (very
clear)

26
The external wall of a fibre optic is less
dense than the internal wall.
When light rays travel from a denser
internal wall to a less dense external
walls at an angle that exceeds the
critical angle, total internal reflection 2 One of the diagram below shows
occurs. the path of a beam of
The advantages of the fibre optics: light that is incident on a water-air
(i) Cheap surface with angle of incidence
(ii) easily handled greater than the critical angle.
(iii) More information can be Which one is it?
transmitted

TUTORIAL
1 A ray of red light travelling in glass
strikes the glass-air boundary .
Some light is reflected and some is
refracted. Which diagram shows
the paths of the rays?
3 Which of the following diagram
correctly shows the total internal
reflection of ray of light?
[ Refractive index of medium X =
1.3
Refractive index of medium Y =
1.5 ]

27
 B P and R
C Q and R
D P,Q and R

6 The diagram shows a semi-

circular plastic block is placed in a
liquid.

4 Which of the following shows total

internal reflection?

Which of the following is correct?

A Density of the plastic

block is less than density
of the liquid
B Refractive index of the
plastic block is less than
refractive index of the
liquid
C Critical angle of the plastic
block is less than critical
5 The diagram shows light ray XO of the liquid
experiencing total internal D Angle of incidence is less
reflection when travelling from the than critical angle of the
glass to air. liquid

7 The diagram shows a ray of light

passing through medium M to
medium N.

Which statements about total

internal reflection are correct? Which of the following is correct?

P - θ is more than the critical A The angle of reflection is 55o

angle of glass B The critical angle of medium M
Q - The speed of light in the glass less than 35o
is higher than in air C Density of medium M less
R - The refractive index of glass is than the density of medium N
greater than air

A P and Q

28
8 The figure shows a ray of light PO 10 The diagram shows a light ray, P,
traveling in a liquid strikes the directed into a glass block. The
liquid-air boundary. critical angle of the glass is 42o.
[ The critical angle of the liquid = In which direction does the light
45o ] move from point Q?

In which direction does the light

move from O ?

A OQ B OR
C OS D OT 11 The diagram shows a light ray , M,
directed into a glass block. The
9 A ray of light incident on one side critical angle of the glass is 42o.
of a rectangular glass block. If the In which diagram does the light
angle of refraction in the glass move from point O ?
block is 40o ,
which one of the following
diagrams best represents this ray?
[ The critical angle of glass is 42o ]

12 The figure shows a ray of light is

incident in air to the surface of
Prism A and B.

Which comparison is correct ?

A Density of prism A < density of

prism B
B Critical angle of prism A <
critical angle of prism B

29
 C Refractive index of prism A <
refractive index of prism B

13 The critical angle is

A the smallest angle of

incidence in optically more
dense medium
B the smallest angle of
incidence in optically less
dense medium
C the greatest angle of
incidence in optically more What is the critical angle of the
dense medium glass?
D the greatest angle of
incidence in optically less A 40o B 50o
dense medium C 60o D 70o
E 80o
14 Which of the following shows the
correct critical angle , c of the 17 The refractive index of water is
semi- circular glass block ? 1.33.
What is the critical angle of the
water.

A 44.5o B 46.9o
C 48.8o D 49.2o
E 54.3 o

18 The refractive index of plastic

block is 13 .

5
What is the value of the cosine of
the critical angle of the plastic?
15 The diagram shows a light ray
travelling from air into a plastic A 5 B 12
block with an angle of incidence 12 13
,X. What is the critical angle of the
plastic? C 13 D 5
12 13

E 13
5

19 The figure shows a ray of light AO

traveling in medium X strikes the
medium X-air boundary.
[ The refractive index of medium X
= 1.12 ]
16 The diagram shows a light ray
travelling from air into a glass
prism.

30
 (a) What is the name given to the
bending of light at
X?

………………………………………
…………

(b) At Z light is …………….

In which direction does the light ………………….
move from O ? reflected.

A OE B OD (c) Give the name of the angle

C OC D OB marked R.

20 Which of the following not applies

the principle of total internal
reflection? ……………………………………………
……
A Prism binocular (d) Explain why light is reflected
B Mirror periscope as shown at Z?
C Optical fibre
D Road mirage

21 The diagram shows a cross- ……………………………………………

section of a fibre optic cable. ……

……………………………………………
……

Which comparison is correct ?

……………………………………………
A Density of P < density of Q ……
B Density of P >density of Q
C Density of P = density of Q

22 The diagram shows a long block of

glass over an object O. Light from
O reaches the top surface of the
glass at X , Y and Z.

31
23 A ray of light is incident at an
angle of 60o at mid-point O of the
plane face AB of a semicircular
glass block as shown in Figure(a).

(c) On Figure(c) draw the complete

path of a
ray directed towards O which
undergoes total internal
reflection at the surface AB.

(a) (i) Calculate the angle of

refraction of
this ray at O, given that
the refractive index of the
glass is 1.5.

(ii) Draw the path of this ray 24 The diagram show a ray of light
from O on Figure(a) and XOYZ is incident at angle of 68.80
continue its path until it to an ice block.
has emerged into the air.

(b) (i) Calculate the critical angle

for the
glass-air boundary.

(ii) On Figure(b) below draw

the path of a ray which
travels through the glass
to O in such way it strikes
the surface AB at an (a) Mark the critical angle of ice
angles of incidence equal with ”c” in the figure above.
to the critical angle and (b) Determine the value of the
continues the path of this critical
ray after it has struck the angle ,c.
surface AB at O.

32
 .................................................
............................

.......................................................
(c) Calculate the refractive index ......................
of ice. (b) Determine the critical angle of
the glass prism.
(d) Explain how the direction of
ray of light XO can be changed
to ensure the total internal
reflection will occur ?

.................................................
............................

.................................................
............................
(e) What happen to the critical (c) By using certain calculations,
angle when the ice block is draw the complete path of a
replaced by a substance which ray started from Y until the
has the refractive index 1.8 ? direction of the path of ray
unchanged.

…………………………………………………
……

25 The diagram shows a ray of light

XO is incident to a glass prism
PQR.
[The refractive index of glass is
1.5]

(a) Why is the ray of light XO

entering the prism in a straight
line?

33