Chapter 33: Problem 10
(a) A tank containing methanol has walls 2.50 cm thick made of glass of refractive index 1.550. Light from the outside air strikes the glass at a 41.3\(^\circ\) angle with the normal to the glass. Find the angle the light makes with the normal in the methanol. (b) The tank is emptied and refilled with an unknown liquid. If light incident at the same angle as in part (a) enters the liquid in the tank at an angle of 20.2\(^\circ\) from the normal, what is the refractive index of the unknown liquid?
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Understand the refraction through glass
Solve for the angle in the glass
Refraction from glass to methanol
Use given conditions for unknown liquid
Conclusion
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Refractive Index
Understanding the refractive index helps us use Snell's Law to predict the path of light in various mediums, making it invaluable in fields that involve optics, such as physics, biology, and even photography.
Angle of Incidence
- When the angle of incidence is increased, the refraction angle is also likely to change, according to Snell’s Law.
- An incident angle of 0° means the light hits the surface head-on, resulting in no bending.
Angle of Refraction
This equation is a core tool for predicting how light will behave as it travels between different materials. Knowing the angle of refraction is important in applications ranging from designing lenses to studying the behavior of light in different substances.
Optics
The broader field of optics ranges from simple lenses to complex structures like fiber optic cables used in telecommunications, making it essential for various technological advances.
Refraction in Mediums
- Refraction occurs because light changes speed as it travels between mediums with different densities.
- This change in speed causes the light to bend, a phenomenon predicted accurately by Snell's Law.
- Common examples of refraction include the bending of a straw when observed through a glass of water or the mirage effect on hot pavement.