Phys213 Lab 03 Ch 25/6 Reflection & Refraction Of Light

Front 1

Law of Rectilinear Propagation of Light

Back 1

In a homogeneous medium, light travels in straight lines

applies if the dimensions of the apertures through which the light travels & the objects it encounters are large compared to the wavelength

Front 2

Ray

Back 2

representation of light as a directed line segment drawn parallel to the direction of propagation

Front 3

Law of Reflection

Back 3

When light crosses from one medium into another, part of the light is reflected at another angle

The angle of incidence and angle of reflection are equal

Front 4

angle of incidence

Back 4

θ

angle that the incident ray to P makes with a normal line to the surface at point P

Front 5

angle of reflection

Back 5

θ'

angle the reflected ray makes with the normal line to the surface at point P

Front 6

normal line

Back 6

a line that is perpendicular to the surface at the point at which light is hitting a surface

Front 7

Law of Refraction

Back 7

when light goes from one medium into another (e.g. air to water), the light bends

Front 8

Snell's Law

Back 8

sin θ₁ = n₂₁ sin θ₂

θ₁ is the angle formed by the incident ray & a normal line

θ₂ is the angle formed by the refracted ray & the same normal line

n₂₁ is the index of refraction

Front 9

index of refraction

Back 9

n₂₁ of medium 2 relative to medium 1

Front 10

n formula

Back 10

n = c / v

n = speed of light in a vacuum / speed of light in the second medium

Front 11

Hugyen's Principle

Back 11

n₁ sin θ₁ = n₂ sin θ₂

where n₁ and n₂ are the indices of refraction of the two media relative to a vacuum

Front 12

f

Back 12

focal length of a mirror

distance between v (the vertex) and F (the focal point)

Front 13

v

Back 13

vertex of the mirror

Front 14

F

Back 14

Focal point of a mirror

where the rays converge when reflected from a concave mirror

where the rays converge behind a convex mirror

Front 15

measuring the radius of curvature of a mirror

Back 15

r = distance between surface of mirror & center of curvature


To find center of curvature;

trace the proper side of a curved mirror

choose 2 points along the curve

draw lines tangent to those points

draw lines perpendicular to the tangent lines at the mirror's surface

where the perpendicular lines intersect is the mirror's center of curvature

Front 16

formula for the relationship between the focal length and radius of curvature

Back 16

f = 1/2 R

Front 17

angle of refraction

Back 17

whether the light refracts toward or away from the normal line depends on the index of refraction

Front 18

index of refraction & refraction angle

Back 18

If passing from low index to high index, bend toward normal line

If passing from high index to low index, bend away from normal line

Front 19

λ

Back 19

wavelength of light in a vacuum

Front 20

f

Back 20

frequency of the electromagnetic wave that is descriptive of the light

Front 21

relating wavelength to refraction index

Back 21

n = c / v

c = fλ (wavelength of light in a vacuum)
v=fλ_n (wavelength of light in a medium with refraction index relative to a vacuum of n)

n = fλ / fλ_n or

n = λ / λ_n