Reflection and Refraction theory

Reflection and refraction of light

Light is somewhere, as something else, in the phenomena of reflection and refraction. In this section we will study the reflection of light and the refraction of light using the ray approach.

Refraction and reflection of light When a ray of light propagates in a transparent medium and reaches a separation surface with another, also transparent, a part continues to propagate in the same medium, that is, it reflects. Another part passes to the other medium, that is, it is refracted. In this image the beam of light starts from the focus on the bottom right. When it reaches the surface of the liquid, in addition to continuing its way up through the refracting air, it "bounces", that is, it reflects back down again.

Refraction The refraction of light is the change of direction of the light rays that happens after passing these from one medium to another in which the light propagates with different speed. It is governed by two principles or laws of refraction: The incident ray, the refracted and the normal to the surface at the point of incidence are in the same plane Snell's law of refraction, which marks the relationship between the angle of incidence i, that of refraction r, and the absolute refractive indices of light in means 1 and 2, n1 and n2, according to: sin (i) sin (r) = n2n1

Reflection The reflection of light is the change of direction of the light rays that occurs in the same medium after striking the surface of a different medium. It is governed by two principles or laws of reflection.

References

Reflection and Refraction of Light | Fisicalab. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.fisicalab.com/apartado/reflexion-refraccion-luz#contents

Reflection and Refraction of Light | Fisicalab. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.fisicalab.com/apartado/reflexion-refraccion-luz#contents