Reflection and Refraction of Light

Flashcards about Reflection and Refraction of Light

What is light reflection?

The rebounding (returning back) of light waves in the same medium on meeting a reflecting surface.

What is regular (uniform) reflection?

Reflection of light rays when they meet a smooth reflecting surface, where the incident light rays are reflected in one direction.

What is irregular (non-uniform) reflection?

Reflection of light rays when they meet a rough reflecting surface, where the incident light rays are reflected in different directions.

Give three examples of smooth surfaces that cause regular reflection.

A plane mirror, a thin sheet of aluminum (foil), and a stainless steel sheet.

Give four examples of rough surfaces that cause irregular reflection.

A leaf of a tree, a piece of paper, a piece of leather, and a piece of wool.

What is the incident light ray?

A narrow light beam represented by a straight line, intersecting with the reflecting surface at the point of incidence.

What is the angle of incidence?

The angle between the incident light ray and the line perpendicular to the reflecting surface at the point of incidence.

What is the reflected light ray?

A narrow light beam represented by a straight line, reflected from the reflecting surface at the point of incidence.

What is the angle of reflection?

The angle between the reflected light ray and the line perpendicular to the reflecting surface at the point of incidence.

What are the two laws of light reflection?

1. The angle of incidence = the angle of reflection. 2. The incident light ray, the reflected light ray, and the normal to the surface of reflection at the point of incidence all lie in one plane perpendicular to the reflecting surface.

What is light refraction?

The change of light path when it travels from a transparent medium to another transparent medium of different optical density.

What is the optical density of a medium?

The ability of the transparent medium to refract the light.

What is the angle of incidence in the context of light refraction?

The angle between the incident light ray and the normal at the point of incidence on the interface.

What is the angle of refraction?

The angle between the refracted light ray and the normal at the point of incidence on the interface.

What is the angle of emergence?

The angle between the emergent light ray and the normal at the point of emergence on the interface.

What happens when a light ray travels from a transparent medium of lower optical density to one of higher optical density?

The light ray refracts near the normal.

What happens when a light ray travels from a transparent medium of higher optical density to one of lower optical density?

The light ray refracts far from the normal.

What happens when a light ray falls perpendicularly to the interface between two different transparent media?

The light ray passes without refraction.

What is the absolute refractive index of a medium?

The ratio between the velocity of light through air to the velocity of light through another transparent medium.

How are glass, water, and air arranged according to their optical density (from highest to lowest)?

Glass > Water > Air

What is a mirage?

A natural phenomenon that takes place on desert roads at noon, where objects on the road sides appear as if they have inverted images on a wet area.

What causes the mirage phenomenon to occur?

Reflection and refraction of light in air layers which differ in temperature.