Unit # 12 Reflection and Refraction of Light Physics O-level)

Reflection of Light
When a light falls on shiny surface, it bounces back in the same medium. This
effect is called reflection of light.

M O M∧

i r

A N B

Where MM = mirror
Point O = Point of Incidence
ON = normal
OB = reflected ray.
i = angle of incidence
r = angle of reflection

 Normal
 Angle of Incidence
 Angle of reflection
 Normal:
The perpendicular drawn at the point of incidence.
 Angle of incidence:
The angle made between incident ray and the normal.
 Angle of Reflection:
The angle made between reflected ray and the normal.

79 Physics O-Level The Ultimate Prep. with M. Arshad Chaudhry 0300-941-2902

Unit # 12 Reflection and Refraction of Light Physics O-level)

Laws of Reflection:

a) The angle of incidence is equal to angle of reflection.

b) The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal all lie in the same
plane.

Experiment: To verify that angle of incidence is equal to angle of reflection.

80 Physics O-Level The Ultimate Prep. with M. Arshad Chaudhry 0300-941-2902

Unit # 12 Reflection and Refraction of Light Physics O-level)

Experiment: To locate position of image in plane mirror.

Apparatus: Mirror strip, Drawing board, Paper, Paper pins, Pencil, Protractor,
ruler.

Procedure:

 Fix the paper on drawing board. Insert a paper pin P on paper, before
the mirror strip.
 Draw two incident rays from Pin, on mirror.
 Draw the reflected rays from mirror obeying law of reflection i.e. i=r.
 Extend the reflected rays backwards. The point of intersection of
extended lines gives the position of image of Pin P.

Characteristics of Image:

 Image size is equal to object size.

 Image distance is equal to object distance.
 Image is upright.
 Image is virtual.
 Image is laterally inverted.

81 Physics O-Level The Ultimate Prep. with M. Arshad Chaudhry 0300-941-2902

Unit # 12 Reflection and Refraction of Light Physics O-level)

Refraction of Light
When a ray enters from one medium to the other, then its speed as well as
direction changes. This effect is called refraction of light.

O r

B N/

Where AO = incident ray.

Point O = Point of Incidence.
NN/ = Normal
OB = reflected ray.
i = angle of incidence.
r = angle of refraction.

 Angle of incidence
 Angle of refraction
 Refractive index
 Angle of Incidence:
The angle between the normal and incident ray.
 Angle of Refraction:
The angle between the normal and refracted ray.
 Refractive Index:
The ratio of since of angle of incidence to sine of angle of refraction.

sin i
i.e. n = Sir r

82 Physics O-Level The Ultimate Prep. with M. Arshad Chaudhry 0300-941-2902

Unit # 12 Reflection and Refraction of Light Physics O-level)

Laws of Refraction:

a) The ratio of sine of angle of incidence to sine of angle of refraction, for

two specific mediums is always constant (SNELL’s LAW).
sin i
= Constant
sin r

b) The incident ray, the refracted ray and the normal, all lie in the same
plane.

Effect of medium on refraction:

 When a ray enters from denser to rare (less dense) medium, it bends
away from normal and speed of ray increases.

Air

Glass

 When a ray enters from rare to denser medium, it bends towards

normal and speed of ray decreases.

Glass

Air

83 Physics O-Level The Ultimate Prep. with M. Arshad Chaudhry 0300-941-2902

Unit # 12 Reflection and Refraction of Light Physics O-level)

Experiment: To find refractive index n= Sin i/ Sin r of a glass block.

Apparatus: Glass block, drawing board, paper, pencil, ruler, Paper pins,
Protractor.

Procedure:

 Place the glass block on paper and mark its boundary.

 Insert 2 pins P1 and P2 on one side of glass block, making incident ray.
 Insert 2 more pins P3 and P4 on the other side of glass block, in the straight
line of image of P1 and P2.
 Remove the pins and complete the Fig. by drawing incident, refracted and
emergent rays.
 Measure angles i and r with protractor and use formula n = Sin i/ Sin r.

84 Physics O-Level The Ultimate Prep. with M. Arshad Chaudhry 0300-941-2902

Unit # 12 Reflection and Refraction of Light Physics O-level)

Critical angle and Total Internal Reflection:

 When a ray enters from denser (glass) to rare (rare) medium, it bends
away from the normal. The angle of refraction in rare medium depends
on the angle of incidence in denser medium. As the angle of incidence is
increased, the angle of refraction keeps on increasing as shown in Figs.

 When angle of refraction in rare medium becomes 90°, then angle of

incidence in denser medium is called critical angle.
i.e. I = c if r = 90°.

85 Physics O-Level The Ultimate Prep. with M. Arshad Chaudhry 0300-941-2902

Unit # 12 Reflection and Refraction of Light Physics O-level)

the formula for critical angle is

1
n= sin c

where n = refractive index

c = Critical angle.
For glass, value of critical angle c is 42°.

 When angle of incidence is increased beyond the critical angle, the ray
bounces back in the same medium. This effect is called as total internal
reflection.

air

i>c r glass

 This condition of total internal reflection are:

1. A ray enters from denser to rare medium.
2. The angle of incidence is greater than critical angel i.e. i>c.

Experiment: To demonstrate the total internal refraction.

86 Physics O-Level The Ultimate Prep. with M. Arshad Chaudhry 0300-941-2902

Unit # 12 Reflection and Refraction of Light Physics O-level)

Apparatus: Ray box, semi circular glass block, paper drawing board, pencil, Protractor.

Procedure:

 Keep the semi circular

glass block on paper, fixed on drawing board.
 Fall the light ray from ray box, on the circular side of glass block.
 Keep on increasing thee angle of incidence of ray, such that the ray
bounces back into glass.
 The reflection of light ray from straight side of glass block shows the total
internal reflection.

Application of Total Internal Reflection:

1) Periscope:

87 Physics O-Level The Ultimate Prep. with M. Arshad Chaudhry 0300-941-2902

Unit # 12 Reflection and Refraction of Light Physics O-level)

A periscope consists of two right angled prisms inclined in a tube. When

the rays from object enter into prism, then they undergo total internal
reflection, since angle of incidence (i = 45°) is greater than critical angle
(C = 42°) of glass. Due to total internal reflections from both the prisms ,
the rays emerge out from lower end of periscope to an observer, which
observes the image of object. The image characteristics produced by
Prism Periscope are:
 Image is upright
 Image is virtual

2) Optical Fibers:

The optical fiber is mad up of glass or plastic of high refractive index.

Light entering at one end, undergoes total internal reflections, since
angel of incidence remains greater than critical angle. Even though the
optical fiber may be bent, the light will still be internally reflected.
Optical fibers are used for telecommunication purposes due to following
advantages.
 Optical fibers carry much more information than copper wires.
 Optical fibers transfer information, at the quick rate.
 Optical fibers are cheaper than Copper wires.
 Optical fibers are very lighter, easy to handle.
 Optical fibers transfer information without any interference.

88 Physics O-Level The Ultimate Prep. with M. Arshad Chaudhry 0300-941-2902