Theory

Refraction is the bending of a wave

when it enters a medium where its
speed is different. The refraction of
light when it passes from a fast
medium to a slow medium bends the
light ray toward the normal to the
boundary between the two media. The
amount of bending depends on the
indices of refraction of the two media
and is described quantitatively by
Snells Law.

ni sin i=n r sin r

Where:

normal as it enters a medium is called

the angle of refraction. This bending
by refraction makes it possible for us
to have lenses, magnifying glasses,
prisms and rainbows. Even our eyes
depend upon this bending of light.
Without refraction, we wouldnt be
able to focus light onto our retina.
Light refracts whenever it travels at an
angle into a substance with a different
refractive index (optical density). This
change of direction is caused by a
change in speed. For example, when
light travels from air into water, it
slows down, causing it to continue to
travel at a different angle or direction.

i = angle of incidence
ni =index

of

refraction

of

the

of

the

incident medium

r = angle of refraction
nr =index

of

refraction

refractive medium
Snells law is the law of refraction
which governs the behaviour of lightrays as they propagate across a sharp
interface between two transparent
dielectric media.
The index of refraction is defined as
the speed of light in vacuum divided
by the speed of light in the medium.
Each medium has a different refractive
index. The angle between the light ray
and the normal as it leaves a medium
is called the angle of incidence. The
angle between the light ray and the

Image
retrieved
from
http://sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Lig
ht-and-Sight/Science-Ideas-andConcepts/Refraction-of-light

The amount of bending depends on

two things. First is the change of
speed. If a substance causes the light
to speed up or slow down more, it will
refract (bend) more. Another thing is

the angle of incident ray. If the light is

entering the substance at a greater
angle, the amount of refraction will
also be more noticeable. On the other
hand, if the light is entering the new
substance from straight on (at 90 to
the surface), the light will still slow
down, but it wont change direction at
all.
The critical angle is defined as the
angle of incidence that provides an
angle of refraction of 90-degrees. Note
that the critical angle is an angle of
incidence value. The actual value of
the critical angle is dependent upon
the combination of materials present
on each side of the boundary.
When a ray light passes through a flat
slab of a transparent material, such as
a piece of glass plate, the emergent
ray is parallel to the incident ray but
displaced from it. Consequently, when
we look at any object through a glass
plate, we see it slightly displaced in
position but unchanged. In contrast,
lenses use the phenomenon of
refraction of light to form images.
Concave lens diverge the light incident
on it. Thus, it is called the diverging
lens. Due to this, these lenses always
form diminished, virtual and erect
images irrespective of the position of
the object in front of them. The
magnification produced by these
lenses is always less than one. On the
other hand, convex lenses converge
the light and hence are called the
converging lenses. As the object
moves away from the lens, the size of
its image reduces along with its
distance from the lens. Convex lenses
form erect, virtual, magnified images

or inverted, real, diminished/magnified

images depending on the position of
the object.

Conclusion:
Based on the data gathered from the
experiment, the shallowing effect of
refraction was verified. The coin was
seen in the same angle as water is
added because of its change in
refractive
index.
The
index
of
refraction of glass was determined as
1.4 and it provided 6.7% error. In the
second activity, the index of refraction
of glass was calculated to be 1.45
which gives 3.3% error.

References:
Hyperphysics. Refraction. Retrieved on
10/18/15
from
http://hyperphysics.phyastr.gsu.edu/hbase/geoopt/refr.html

Sciencelearn. Refraction, Retrieved on

10/18/2015
from
http://sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Lig
ht-and-Sight/Science-Ideas-andConcepts/Refraction-of-light

Learnnext. Refraction by Spherical

Surfaces. Retrieved on 10/18/15 from
http://www.learnnext.com/nextgurukul/
wiki/concept/CBSE/X/Science/Refractio
n-by-Spherical-Lenses.htm
PhysicsClassroom.
Critical
angle.
Retrieved
on
10/18/15
from
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/clas
s/refrn/Lesson-3/The-Critical-Angle