1.4 Total Internal Reflection

The critical angle beyond which light cannot escape a dense medium, and how that traps signals inside optical fibers and makes diamonds sparkle.

University Physics Volume 3, 1.4 Total Internal Reflection

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6 exercises

1.4 Exercise 1

At the surface between air and water, light rays can go from air to water and from water to air. For which ray is there no possibility of total internal reflection?

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1.4 Exercise 2

A ring with a colorless gemstone is dropped into water. The gemstone becomes invisible when submerged. Can it be a diamond? Explain.

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1.4 Exercise 4

How can you use total internal reflection to estimate the index of refraction of a medium?

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1.4 Exercise 6

(a) At the end of the example, it was stated that the critical angle for light going from diamond to air is $24.4 ° .$ Verify this. (b) What is the critical angle for light going from zircon to air?

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1.4 Exercise 8

At what minimum angle will you get total internal reflection of light traveling in water and reflected from ice?

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1.4 Exercise 10

You can determine the index of refraction of a substance by determining its critical angle. (a) What is the index of refraction of a substance that has a critical angle of $68.4 °$ when submerged in water? What is the substance, based on the reference? (b) What would the critical angle be for this substance in air?

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