The Student Room Group

A Level Physics Exam Questions

Hi, I don't get these questions.

1. The refractive index of water is 1.33. A light ray in water is directed at the water surface at an angle of incidence of 40°. Calculate the angle of refraction of the light ray at this surface.

[the answer is 58.7°, how??]

2. A light ray enters an equilateral glass prism of refractive index 1.55 at the midpoint of one side of the prism at an angle of incidence of 35°. The angle of refraction of the light ray in the glass is 22°.

a) Show that the angle of incidence where the light ray leaves the glass prism is 38°.

b) Calculate the angle of refraction of the light ray where it leaves the prism.
[the answer is 72.6°]
Reply 1
Original post by TheMrKeshy
Hi, I don't get these questions.

1. The refractive index of water is 1.33. A light ray in water is directed at the water surface at an angle of incidence of 40°. Calculate the angle of refraction of the light ray at this surface.

[the answer is 58.7°, how??]

2. A light ray enters an equilateral glass prism of refractive index 1.55 at the midpoint of one side of the prism at an angle of incidence of 35°. The angle of refraction of the light ray in the glass is 22°.

a) Show that the angle of incidence where the light ray leaves the glass prism is 38°.

b) Calculate the angle of refraction of the light ray where it leaves the prism.
[the answer is 72.6°]


You need to use the equation n1sinθ1 = n2sinθ2. where n is the refractive index and θ is the angle of incidence/refraction.

1) Use n1=1.33, θ1=40 and n2=1 to find θ2.

The rest are just the same, plug in the values and rearrange.
Reply 2
why is the second refractive index 1?

Quick Reply

Latest