Exercise 6 the Laws of Refraction 1 (Solutions)
Exercise 6 the Laws of Refraction 1 (Solutions)
1. Find the refractive index of the following media. Given that the speed of light in vacuum is 3 108 m s–1.
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Refracted ray at a boundary
1. In each of the following cases, a light ray passes from one medium to another, n1 and n2 are the refractive indices
of the two media. State whether n2 is greater than, equal to or smaller than n1.
2. A ray is incident at the glass-water interface and XY is the refracted ray. 2)C 3)B 4)B 5)D 6)B
A. P.
B. Q.
C. R.
D. S. C
3. Which of the following figures correctly shows the path of a light ray travelling from water to diamond? (The
refractive indices of water and diamond are 1.33 and 2.42 respectively.)
A. B. C. D.
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4. A ray of light strikes at the centre O of a semicircular glass block from air.
A. P
B. Q
C. R
D. S B
5. A ray of light passes through three parallel layers of different media as shown.
It is known that the three media are air, water and glass. Which of the following correctly shows the medium in
each layer? The refractive indices of air, water and glass are 1, 1.33 and 1.50 respectively.
1 2 3
A. glass water air
B. glass air water
C. water glass air
D. water air glass D
6. A light ray travels as shown below. Which medium has the highest refractive index?
A. Medium A
B. Medium B
C. Medium C
D. Cannot be determined B
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Laws of refraction
A. 0.66
B. 1.05
C. 1.51
D. 1.64 C
2. A light ray passes from a medium to air. If the angle of refraction is 30 and the refractive index of the medium
is 1.4, what is the angle of incidence?
A. 20.9
B. 28.4
C. 30.0
D. 44.4 A
3. A ray of light passes from air to glass. What is the refractive index of the glass?
A. 1.20
B. 1.42
C. 1.62
D. 1.67 C
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4. The figure shows a ray of light emerging from liquid Y into air. The angles that the ray makes with the normal
before and after emerging are 40 and 70 respectively.
A. 0.68
B. 1.06
C. 1.46
D. 1.75 C
5. A ray of light enters and leaves a pentaprism as shown below. What is the angle of refraction r?
A. 10.9
B. 25.2
C. 30.0
D. 36.0 B
CACCB
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Part B Structural Questions
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2. Find the angle of refraction of the following cases.
(a) 1.33 = sin (90° – 37°) / sin r
sin r = sin 53° / 1.33
r = sin-1 (sin 53° / 1.33)
= sin-1 0.6005
= 36.9° (Answer: 3 sig. fig. from calculator understood)
3. A ray of light passes from air into water. The angle of refraction is 28.
4. A ray of light passes from air into alcohol. Find the angle of refraction. (Refractive index of alcohol = 1.36)
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Refraction in rectangular blocks
1. In the figure, a ray of light passes from air into a block of Perspex. Find the angle of refraction. (The refractive
index of Perspex is 1.5)
2. The figure shows a ray of light entering a glass block from air. It is known that the angle of refraction is 33 when
the angle of incidence is 55. When the angle of incidence is 66, what is the angle of refraction?
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3. A light ray enters a 6 cm thick parallel-sided glass block at an angle of 60 as shown in the figure below.
(Refractive index of glass = 1.5)
4. A ray of light hits a rectangular block of glass. Complete the path of the ray into and out of the rectangular block.
Calculate all the angles of the ray makes with the normal at the air-glass interfaces.
1
2
3
1.5 = sin 35° / sin 1
sin 1 = sin 35° / 1.5
1 = sin-1 0.3824
= 22.5°
2 = 1 = 22.5°
1.5 = sin 3 / sin 2 = sin 3 / sin 1
3 = 35°
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Refraction in prisms
1. In the figure below, a light ray passes through a 45 glass prism. Find the angles x, y and z.
2. A light ray strikes an equilateral glass prism at an angle of 60 as shown below.
(a) Complete the path of the ray until it goes into air.
3
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(b) Find the angles that the ray makes with normals of the prism at all boundaries.
1.5 = sin 60° / sin 1
1 = sin-1 (sin 60° / 1.5) = sin-1 0.5774 = 35.3°
60° + (90° – 1) + (90° – 2) = 180° (60° is the prism top angle)
2 = 60°– x
1.5 = sin 3 / sin 2 = sin 3 / sin 24.7°
3 = sin-1 (1.5 × sin 24.7°) = sin-1 0.6276 = 38.9°
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3. Figure below shows a light ray incident on a glass prism normally.
(a) Complete the path of the ray until it goes into air.
1
23
(b) Find the angles that the ray makes with normals of the prism at all boundaries.
1 = 0°
30° + (90° – 1) + (90° – 2) = 180°
2 = 30°– 1 = 30°
1.5 = sin 3 / sin 2 = sin 3 / sin 30°
3 = sin-1 (1.5 × sin 30°) = sin-1 0.75 = 48.6°
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