New Physics at Work (Second Edition) Oxford University Press 2007

Class: Name: ( ) Date:

11
Experiment 2b
Total internal reflection 2b
1 ray-box with cylindrical lens and single-slit plate
1 power pack (012 V a.c./d.c.)
1 semicircular block (glass or Perspex)
1 full-circle protractor
Apparatus
Background information
1 In refraction of light, light bends away from the normal when it
passes from glass (optically denser medium) to air (optically less
dense medium), and the angle of incidence i is smaller than the
angle of refraction r (Fig 2b-1).
2 If the angle of incidence i in glass is increased to a certain value, the
angle of refraction r in air will become 90 (Fig 2b-2).
To examine the conditions for total internal reflection.
Objective
air
glass
i
r refracted
ray
reflected ray incident ray
90 90
0
Fig 2b-1
90 90
0
i
r = 90
reflected ray
refracted
ray
incident ray
air
glass
Fig 2b-2
New Physics at Work (Second Edition) Oxford University Press 2007
Class: Name: ( ) Date:
12
Experiment 2b
Procedure
1 (a) Set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 2b-3.
(b) Direct a ray of light to enter the semicircular block from its
curved edge towards its centre O.
The light ray bends __________________________ (towards/away from)
the normal (the 0 line of the protractor).
Precaution
The straight edge of the
semicircular block should
be perfectly aligned
along the 90 line of the
protractor. The centre O
of the block should be
at the intersection of the
0 and 90 lines of the
protractor.
incident ray
semicircular
block
ray-box
refracted ray
reflected ray
a
g
90 90
0
0
O

Fig 2b-3
2 (a) Set the angle of incidence in the glass block
g
to 0.
(b) Slowly increase
g
by moving the ray-box.
When
g
increases, the refracted ray moves ___________________
(towards/away from) the normal.
3 Read any pair of
g
and
a
. Use them to calculate the refractive index
of the semicircular block n
g
.
n
g
=
sin
a
sin
g

=
sin
sin
=
________________
4 Read
g
when the refracted ray becomes almost parallel to the straight
edge of the semicircular block, i.e. when
a
= 90. This
g
is called
the critical angle C.
Critical angle C = ________________
5 Calculate the refractive index of the block n
g
using the value of the
critical angle C.
n
g
=
sin
a
sin
g

=
sin 90
sin C
=
1
sin
=
________________

Partially black out the
laboratory.
A full-circle protractor
is provided on the
inside back cover of this
Teachers edition. Ts
can make photocopies
and distribute them to
Ss.
away from
1.49
1.49
42
42
If a semicircular
transparent tray is
available, the critical
angle for water can also
be found.
away from
New Physics at Work (Second Edition) Oxford University Press 2007
Class: Name: ( ) Date:
13
Experiment 2b
Is the above result of n
g
the same as that calculated in step 3?
6 Further increase
g
by moving the ray-box.
What happens when
g
is greater than the critical angle C?
7 Repeat steps 2(a) and 2(b). Note the change in the intensity of the
reflected and the refracted rays.
When
g
increases from 0 to the value of the critical angle C, the
intensity of the reflected ray _______________ (increases/decreases) and
the intensity of the refracted ray _______________ (increases/decreases).
8 (a) Direct a light ray to enter the semicircular block from its straight
edge. Make sure the ray strikes the centre O.
(b) Set the angle of incidence in air to 0.
(c) Slowly increase the angle of incidence in air by moving the
ray-box. Note whether total internal reflection occurs.
Does total internal reflection occur when the light ray passes from air
to the semicircular block?
Discussion
The light ray does not bend at the curved edge of the semicircular
block in step 1(b). Explain why.
Yes.
The ray is totally internally refected.
increases
decreases
Total internal refection does not occur.
This is because the
light ray bends towards
the normal inside the
glass and so the angle
of incidence increases to
90 before the angle of
refraction does.
When the light ray enters the semicircular block from the curved edge towards the
centre, the angle of incidence is 0. Therefore, the angle of refraction is also 0 and
the light ray does not bend.
Ts may tell Ss that
the normal at A on
the curved edge is as
shown below, which
is perpendicular to the
surface at A. However,
Ss may not understand
well how the normal can
be perpendicular to a
curved surface without
the concept of tangent.
O
A
normal
New Physics at Work (Second Edition) Oxford University Press 2007
Class: Name: ( ) Date:
14
Experiment 2b
Total internal reflection occurs when light passes from an
optically _______________________ medium to an optically
_______________________ medium with the angle of incidence
greater than the _______________________ angle.
Further thinking
If the semicircular block is made of diamond, whose refractive
index is 2.42, will the critical angle become larger or smaller?
Explain your answer.
denser
less dense
critical
The critical angle C is given by:
n
d
=
sin 90
sin C
sin C =
1
2.42
C = 24.4
The critical angle will become smaller.