REFRACTION OF LIGHT
Definition of refraction of light
When light travels obliquely from one medium to another, the direction of propagation of light in the second medium changes. This phenomenon is known as refraction of light.
Light does not travel in same direction in all the medium because of difference in optical density.
- When light enters from a higher density medium to a lower density medium light will bend away from the normal
- When light enters from a lower density medium to a higher density medium light will bend towards the normal
Angle of incidence
Angle made by the incident ray and the normal at the point of separation of two medium is known as angle of incidence
Angle of refraction
Angle made by the refracted ray and the normal at the point of separation of two medium is known as angle of refraction.
Law of refraction of light
- The incident ray, the refracted ray and the normal to the interface of two transparent media at the point of incidence, all lie in the same plane.
- The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle of refraction is a constant. ( this law is known as snell’s law of refraction and this is true for angle 0<i<90⁰. If i is angle of incidence and r is angle of refraction, then
sin i / sin r = constant