Total Internal Reflection

Total Internal Reflection

Phenomenon where all incident light energy is reflected back into a material when the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle.

Critical Angle

The angle of incidence at which the angle of refraction is 90 degrees, causing light to refract along the boundary.

Refractive Index (N)

A measure of how much light slows down in a medium compared to air; higher refractive index indicates a denser medium.

Sine Theta C

The sine of the critical angle is equal to the ratio of the refractive indices of two media, specifically N2/N1.

Snell's Law

Describes the relationship between angles of incidence and refraction when light passes through different media.

Angles of Incidence and Refraction

The angle at which incoming light hits a surface (incidence) and the angle at which light exits the surface (refraction).

Condition for Total Internal Reflection

1. Angle of incidence must be greater than the critical angle; 2. Refractive index of the first medium (N1) must be greater than that of the second medium (N2).

Air Refractive Index

The refractive index of air is approximately 1.

Reflection vs Refraction

Reflection is the bouncing back of light into a medium, while refraction is the bending of light as it passes into another medium.

Calculation of Critical Angle

To find the critical angle using the formula: sine Theta C = N2/N1.