TOTAL INTERNAL RELECTION

(TIR)
Total internal reflection is the phenomenon of reflection
of light which occurs when a ray of light travelling in a
denser medium is incident at the interference of the two
media at an angle greater than the critical angle for that
pair of media.
Consider a surface XY separating the rarer medium ‘A’
from the denser medium ‘B’. A ray of light OA from the
object O in denser medium incident normally on the
surface of separation, gets refracted into the rarer
medium as such along AL. Another ray of light incident
along the oblique path OA, is refracted away from normal
along the path A1B1 in rarer medium. As the angle of
incidence is increased, the angle of refraction also goes
on increasing, till for a certain angle of incidence C, called
the critical angle. When angle of incidence is greater than
critical angle then total internal reflection takes place.

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 CONDITIONS FOR T.I.R
Total internal reflection (TIR) is the phenomenon that
involves the reflection of all the incident light off the
boundary. TIR only takes place when both of the
following two conditions are met:
➢ The light travels from denser medium to rarer
medium.
➢ The angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle.
Total internal reflection will not take place unless the
incident light is travelling within the optically denser
medium towards the optically rarer medium. TIR would
happen for light travelling from water towards air, but it
will not happen for light travelling from water (n=1.333)
towards crown glass (n=1.52). TIR occurs because the
angle of refraction reaches a 90-degree angle before the
angle of incidence reaches a 90-degree angle. The only
way for the angle of refraction to be greater than the
angle of incidence is for light to bend away from the
normal. Since light only bends away from the normal
when passing from a denser medium into a rarer
medium, then this would be a necessary condition for
total internal reflection.

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 CRITICAL ANGLE
The critical angle is the angle of incidence in the denser
medium, for which the angle of refraction in the rarer
medium is 90°. If light enters a denser medium from a
comparatively rarer medium, then the direction of light
changes and the light ray bends towards the normal. One
can witness an effect by opening his or her eyes while
swimming just below the surface. If the water is still, the
surface outside the critical angle appears mirror-like,
reflecting objects below. The region above the water
cannot be seen except overhead. The hemispherical field
of view is compressed into a conical field known as Snell’s
window, whose angular diameter is twice the critical
angle.

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 RELATION BETWEEN REFRACTIVE
INDEX AND CRITICAL ANGLE
When refraction takes place at point C, it follows that the
refractive index of medium a w.r.t. medium b is given by

BMA =

AMB =
if i = c (critical angle)
r = 90o
AMB =
Refractive index is inversely proportional to sin of critical
angle.

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 TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION IN
DIAMOND
From the glass to air the critical angle is 42° but it varies
from one medium to other. The material that gives the
smallest critical angle is diamond. That is why they
sparkle so much. Rays of light can easily be made to
bounce around inside them by careful cutting of the
stone and the refraction at the surfaces splits the light
into a spectrum of colours.

Relatively speaking the critical angle 24.41°for the

diamond air boundary is extremely small. This property
of the diamond air boundary plays an important role in
the brilliance of a diamond gemstone. Having a small
critical angle light has the tendency to become trapped
inside of a diamond once it enters. Most rays approach
the diamond at angles of incidence greater than the
critical angle (as it is so small) so a light ray will typically
undergo TIR several times before finally refracting out of
the diamond. This gives diamond a tendency to sparkle.
The effect can be enhanced by the cutting of a diamond
gemstone with a ‘strategically’ planned shape.

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 USES OF OPTICAL FIBRES
➢Optical fibres are used in the field of communication
and the computers.

➢ The optical fibres are used for making medical

investigation.
➢ The optical fibre sensors have been used to measure
temperature and pressure.
➢ The optical are used for transmitting the optical signals
and the two-dimensional pictures.
➢ The optical fibres in the form of photometric sensors
are used for measuring the blood flow in the heart.
➢ The optical fibre is in the form of refract meters are
used to determine the refractive indices 0f liquids.
➢ Optical fibres are used in telescope and other
transmitting cables. 8
➢ Optical fibres are used in transmission and reception of
electric signals by converting them first into light signal.

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 CONCLUSIONS
Total Internal Reflection is a phenomena which is
involved in various practices of our lives unknowingly
and is cause of various applications in our everyday
lives. It simple occurs because of the difference in the
refractive indices of two mediums which are bundled
together and hence, light traps in between them due to
some specific angle of incidents (greater than critical
angle). Therefore, it is really important to have a deep
idea about total internal reflection in order to
understand the underlying principles of various things
such optical fibres, endoscopy and variety of routine
things too. Total internal reflection hence forms basis
of various other phenomena that help in medical
science, telecommunication etc.

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 EXAMPLES IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Total internal reflection can be observed while
swimming, when one opens one's eyes just under the
water's surface. If the water is calm, its surface appears
mirror-like.
One can demonstrate total internal reflection by filling a
sink or bath with water, taking a glass tumbler, and
placing it upside-down over the plug hole (with the
tumbler completely filled with water). While water
remains both in the upturned tumbler and in the sink
surrounding it, the plug hole and plug are visible since the
angle of refraction between glass and water is not greater
than the critical angle. If the drain is opened and the
tumbler is kept in T position over the hole, the water in
the tumbler drains out leaving the glass filled with air, and
this then acts as the plug. Viewing this from above, the
tumbler now appears mirrored because light reflects off
the air/glass interface.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Modern’s abc of Physics.
2. Pradeep’s Fundamental Physics.
3. Dinesh a to z in Physics.
4. www.scribd.com
5. www.allprojectreports.com