PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION

NAME: S. HARSHA VARDHAN

CLASS: XII
ROLL NO:
Contents
• Introduction
• Optical description
• Critical angle
• Phase shift upon total internal
reflection
• Total internal refraction in
diamond
• Applications of total internal
reflection
• Examples in everyday life
• Critical angle for some
transparent media with respect to
air
• Total Internal Reflection in water
• Bibliography
 INTRODUCTION

Total internal reflection is an optical phenomenon that

happens when a ray of light strikes a medium boundary
at an angle larger than a particular critical angle with
respect to the normal to the surface. If the refractive
index is lower on the other side of the boundary and the
incident angle is greater than the critical angle, no light
can passthrough and all the light is reflected. The critical
angle is the angle of incidence above which the total
internal reflectance occurs. When a light beam crosses
a boundary between materials with different kinds of
refractive indices, the light beam will be partially
refracted at the boundary surface, and partially reflected.
However, if the angle of incidence is greater (i.e. the ray
is closer to being parallel to the boundary) than the
critical angle the angle of incidence at which light is refracted
such that it travels along the boundary then the light will stop
crossing the boundary altogether and instead be totally
reflected back internally. This can only occur where light travels
from a medium with a higher [n1=higher refractive index] to one
with a lower refractive index [n2=lower refractive index]. For
example, it will occur when passing from glass to air, but not
when passing from air to glass.
 OPTICAL DISCRIPTION
Total internal reflection can be demonstrated using a semi-
circular block of glass or plastic. A "ray box" shines a narrow
beam of light (a "ray") onto the glass. The semi-circular shape
ensures that a ray pointing towards the centre of the flat face will
hit the curved surface at a right angle; this will prevent refraction
at the air/glass boundary of the curved surface. At the glass/air
boundary of the flat surface, what happens will depend on the
angle? Where is θC the critical angle measurement which is
caused by the sun or a light source (measured normal to the
surface):
• If θ < θC , the ray will split. Some of the ray will reflect off the
boundary, and some will refract as it passes through. This is
not total internal reflection.
• If θ >θC , the entire ray reflects from the boundary. None
passes through. This is called total internal reflection.
This physical property makes optical fibres useful and prismatic
binoculars possible. It is also what gives diamonds their
distinctive sparkle, as diamond has an unusually high refractive
index.
 CRITICAL ANGLE
The critical angle is the angle of incidence above which
total internal reflection occurs. The angle of incidence is
measured with respect to the normal at the refractive
boundary (see diagram illustrating Snell's law). Consider a
light ray passing from glass into air. The light emanating
from the interface is bent towards the glass. When the
incident angle is increased sufficiently, the transmitted
angle (in air) reaches 90 degrees. It is at this point no light
is transmitted into air. The critical angle is given by Snell's
law.

Rearranging Snell's Law, we get incidence

To find the critical angle, we find the value for θi when

θt=90° and thus sinθt=1. The resulting value of is equal to
the critical angle θc. Now, we can solve for
, and we get the equation for the critical angle:
If the incident ray is precisely at the critical angle, the
refracted ray is tangent to the boundary at the point of
incidence. If for example, visible light was travelling
through acrylic glass (with an index of refraction of1.50)
into air (with an index of refraction of 1.00), the calculation
would give the critical angle for light from acrylic into air,
which is
PHASE SHIFT UPON TOTAL INTERNAL
REFLECTION

A lesser-known aspect of total internal reflection is

that the reflected light has an angle dependent
phase shift between the reflected and incident light.
Mathematically this means that the Fresnel
reflection coefficient becomes a complex rather
than a real number. This phase shift is polarization
dependent and grows as the incidence angle
deviates further from the critical angle toward
grazing incidence.

The polarization dependent phase shift is long

known and was used by Fresnel to design the
Fresnel rhomb which allows transforming circular
polarization to linear polarization and vice versa for
a wide range of wavelengths (colours), in contrast to
the quarter waveplate. The polarization dependent
phase shift is also the reason why TE and TM guided
modes have different dispersion relations.
 REFLECTION IN DIAMOND
From glass to air the critical angle is about 42o but it varies from
one medium to another. 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 24.4o 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 alight 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.
APPLICATIONS OF TOTAL INTERNAL
REFLECTION
• Total internal reflection is the operating principle of
optical fibres, which are used in endoscopes and
telecommunications.
• Total internal reflection is the operating principle of
automotive rain sensors, which control automatic
windscreen/windshield wipers.
• Another application of total internal reflection is the
spatial filtering of light.
• Prismatic binoculars use the principle of total internal
reflections to get a very clear image.
• Gonioscopy employs total internal reflection to view
the anatomical angle formed between the eye's
cornea and iris.
• Optical fingerprinting devices use frustrated total
internal reflection in order to record an image of a
person's fingerprint without the use of ink.
• A Total internal reflection fluorescence microscope
uses the evanescent wave produced by TIR to excite
fluorophores close to a surface. This is useful for the
study of surface properties of biological samples.
 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 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.
This is different phenomenon from reflection and
refraction. Reflection occurs when light goes back in same
medium. Refraction occurs when light travels from
different mediums. Here both are not happening. This is
due to both and a mixture of both. Another common
example of total internal reflection isa critically cut
diamond. This is what gives it maximum spark.
 CRITICAL ANGLE FOR SOME
TRANSPARENT MEDIA WITH RESPECT
TO AIR:

Substance medium Refractive index Critical angle

Water 1.33 48.75

Crown glass 1.52 41.14

Dense flint glass 1.62 37.31

Diamond 2.42 24.41

TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION IN
WATER

MATERIALS REQUIRED:
1. Water tank (transparent container)
2. Laser pointer or Light source

3. Protractor
4. Ruler
5. Mirror (to reflect light back into the water)
6. Measuring tape (for distance measurements)
7. Screen (optional, for observing the reflected light)

8. Tripod or holder (to position the light source at different angles)

PROCEDURE:
1. Set up the experiment:
- Fill the transparent water tank with water.

- Place a flat mirror at the bottom of the tank to reflect light.

- Position the laser pointer or light source above the water surface,
ensuring that it can shine at different angles on the water surface.

2. Measure and record the critical angle:

- Start by shining the laser at the water surface at small angles.
- Gradually increase the angle of incidence.

- For each angle, observe the light passing through the water or being
reflected back.

- Measure the angle at which the light begins to reflect entirely, and note it
as the critical angle.
3. Observation of Total Internal Reflection:
- Once the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle, the
light should no longer refract into the air but reflect entirely within
the water.
- Use the protractor to measure the angle of incidence and
compare it with the angle of reflection.

4. Record Results:
- Note the angles at which TIR occurs, and confirm that the
angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence, as per the law of
reflection.

PRECAUTIONS:
Avoid Direct Exposure: Never point the laser beam at your eyes
or anyone else's eyes, even if the laser is turned off.
Stable Positioning: Ensure the water beaker is placed on a stable
surface to prevent accidental tipping or spilling of water, which
could damage equipment or pose a slipping hazard.

Water Level: Maintain a consistent water level in the beaker to

ensure reliable and repeatable results. Ensure the water is deep
enough to observe total internal reflection at the interface but not
too deep to cause unintended refraction effects.

Beam Alignment: Make sure the laser is aligned precisely with

the water surface or the sides of the beaker to achieve proper
total internal reflection. Misalignment can lead to unwanted
beam paths or interference.
CONCLUSION:
- Total Internal Reflection occurs when the angle of incidence
exceeds the critical angle, which for water is approximately 48.6°.
- The experimental results confirmed that the angle of incidence
is equal to the angle of reflection, in line with the law of reflection.
- TIR is a crucial concept in modern optical devices such as
optical fibres and endoscopes, where it is used to guide light
efficiently over long distances with minimal loss.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Following Books and websites were a source for my
project.

• Wikipedia
• NCERT Physics Textbook for class 12
• Feynman Lectures on Physics
• Google