UNIT 2: STEP 3 - TO UNDERSTAND THE WAVES BEHAVIOR IN OPEN AND

ENCLOSURE MEDIUMS

Presented by:
ADEL TORO CASTILLA
DIEGO RUBIO MORENO
CARLOS ECHAVARRIA
JOHN ANDERSSON AMAYA

Presented to: OMAR LEONARDO LEYTON

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OPEN AND DISTANCE

SCHOOL OF BASIC SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING

ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY AND WAVES

GROUP: 203058A_611

Bogota

March 26, 2019

INTRODUCTION
The next activity has the purpose of identifying the modes of propagation and
polarization in electromagnetic waves, looking for the appropriate mode, according
to the analyzed application and the student understands the behavior of the waves
in different transmission media used in telecommunications.
OBJECTIVES

- Study the modes of propagation of electromagnetic waves.

- Understand the polarization modes.
- Understand the incidence in a normal plane.
ACTIVITIES TO DEVELOP
Each student in the group has to answer the following questions using academic
references to support the research:

INPUT: ADEL TORO CASTILLA

1. Determine 3 advantages and 2 disadvantages presented by natural
phenomena of refraction or reflection for the transmission of
electromagnetic waves.

Advantages:

• • Radiopropagation: It is the behavior of radio waves (electromagnetic)

when they move through space. They are transmitted, received or
propagated from one point on Earth to another, to the atmosphere or
space. Being a form of electromagnetic radiation, in the same way as
light waves, radio waves are affected by the phenomena of Reflection.

• refraction and reflection of electromagnetic waves, also present in

different electrical and electronic sensors, such as an inductive sensor,
which is able to detect an object when a change occurs in the
electromagnetic field surrounding it

• A sonar or echo sounder is a device that allows man to find out the
position to which objects located deep or submerged at a certain
distance from a ship are located.

They are also used to find wrecks in the sea or ocean, schools of fish
and other submerged elements.

This element works by emitting a wave signal those later returns to its
origin when it collides with some object.
Disadvantages

• a means of transmission is needed so that the phenomena of refraction and

reflection can occur.
• the radiation emitted by electromagnetic waves are harmful to living beings
and the environment
2. Explain what Snell's Law is for in the propagation of electromagnetic
waves.

Snell's law is a formula used to calculate the refractive angle of light by

traversing the separation surface between two means of propagating light or
any electromagnetic wave with a refractive index different.

Snell's law of refraction is expressed in terms of the refractive index

Where n1 and n2 are the refractive indices of means 1 and 2, respectively.

The angle of incidence is always equal to that of reflection.

For non-magnetic media, Snell's Law can be expressed in terms of the

intrinsic impedance of media such as

3. How is the total reflection of an electromagnetic wave achieved by

colliding with a different medium of propagation?

if the light passes from one medium of propagation to another with a different
optical density and does not strike perpendicularly on the surface, it
undergoes a change of speed and a change of direction. this change can be
calculated with Snell's law, which says that:

4. How is the total refraction of an electromagnetic wave achieved by

colliding with a different means of propagation?

It is the relation between the speed of propagation of the wave in a reference

medium (for example the vacuum for electromagnetic waves) and its velocity
in the medium in question.
 The relationship between the sine of the angle of incidence and the sine of
the refractive angle is equal to the ratio between the velocity of the wave in
the first medium and the velocity of the wave in the second medium, or it can
be understood as the product of the The refractive index of the first medium
by the sine of the angle of incidence is equal to the product of the refractive
index of the second medium by the sine of the angle of refraction, that is:

5. What do you mean by polarization of electromagnetic waves?

Electromagnetic polarization is a phenomenon that can occur in electromagnetic

waves, such as light, by which the electric field oscillates only in a given plane, called
the plane of polarization. This plane can be defined by two vectors, one of them
parallel to the direction of propagation of the wave and another perpendicular to that
same direction which indicates the direction of the electric field.

In a non-polarized electromagnetic wave, as in any other type of unpolarized

transverse wave, the electric field oscillates in all normal directions to the direction
of propagation of the wave. Longitudinal waves, like sound waves, cannot be
polarized because their oscillation occurs in the same direction as their propagation.

INPUT: CARLOS ECHAVARRIA

1. Determine 3 advantages and 2 disadvantages presented by natural
phenomena of refraction or reflection for the transmission of electromagnetic
waves.

Advantages:
• One of the major uses of reflection in telecommunications is the use of
optical fiber since a flexible cable of transparent material that has a
refractive index such that said index is greater than the refractive index
of the material that covers it. In this way, when a pulse of light is
introduced with a certain angle of entry into the fiber, it is confined in
its interior reaching the end with little loss of intensity, since all the
reflections that are produced meet the condition of reflection total.
Thus, the possible angles of light input to the fiber define an
acceptance cone within which the rays must be intended to meet the
condition of total reflection inside the fiber.
• Another advantage is the use of transmissions in the ionosphere for
the refraction of radio waves through which signals are propagated
throughout the world.
• Theories of reflection and refraction have wide applications both in
everyday objects, such as mirrors or glasses, and in scientific fields,
such as crystallography and microscopy.

Disadvantages:

• The refraction in the media depending on how dense the surface is, its
line will bend towards a line drawn normal to the boundary surface.
• in the transmission it is necessary that the frequency remains constant
so that the value of the wavelength does not change

2. Explain what Snell's Law is for in the propagation of electromagnetic waves.

• Snell's law is an equation in physics that helps describe the angles at
which light enters different materials or media.
3. How is the total reflection of an electromagnetic wave achieved by colliding
with a different medium of propagation?
• When a ray of light passes from one medium to another less refractive,
that is, from a medium of higher refractive index to one with a lower
refractive index, the phenomenon of total reflection occurs.

It can be calculated with the following equation:

𝑛2
𝑠𝑒𝑛𝜃𝑐 =
𝑛1
𝑛2
𝜃𝑐 = 𝑠𝑒𝑛−1
𝑛1

4. How is the total refraction of an electromagnetic wave achieved by colliding

with a different means of propagation?
• The total refraction occurs when the velocity of propagation of the first
medium is greater than that of the medium to which it strikes, although
for this it is necessary to see the refractive index that the material
possesses to which the wave strikes.

5. What do you mean by polarization of electromagnetic waves?

• It is a phenomenon that can occur in electromagnetic waves, such as

light, by which the electric field oscillates only in a plane called plane
of polarization. This plane can be defined by two vectors, one of them
parallel to the direction of propagation of the wave and another
perpendicular to that same direction which indicates the direction of
the electric field.

There are different types such as:

Linear Polarization, Circular Polarization, Elliptical Polarization
INPUT: JOHN ANDERSSON AMAYA
Determine 3 advantages and 2 disadvantages.
Advantage:
• Refraction of radio waves
The phenomenon of refraction is a phenomenon that is observed in all types of
waves. In the case of radio waves, refraction is especially important in the
ionosphere, where there is a continuous series of refractions that allow radio waves
to travel from one point on the planet to another.

• The speed of propagation of seismic waves depends on the density of the

propagation medium and, therefore, on the depth and composition of the region
crossed by the waves. Refraction phenomena occur in the following cases:
Refraction between the transition between two geological layers, especially between
the earth's mantle and the earth's core.
In the mantle, by small deviations of density between ascending layers less dense
and descending, more dense.
• Thanks to this you can see your image reflected in a mirror, on the surface of the
water or on the very bright floor. This is due to a phenomenon called light reflection.
Disadvantages:
• The words lost due to reflection are related to the characteristic impedances of
each of the media, a wave that is reflected on the surface of an armor.
• The loss of propagation is defined as the amount of signal that is lost in the space
between both reference points and in this interface directly reflection.
Explain what Snell's Law is for in the propagation of electromagnetic waves.
Snell's law consists of a formula that is used to achieve the calculation of the
refractive angle of light when it comes to the separation surface that exists between
the media that have a different refractive index. The law then explains that the
product of the refractive index by the sin of the angle of incidence is constant for any
ray of light striking the surface of two media.

How is the total reflection of an electromagnetic wave achieved by colliding with a

different propagation medium?

The total reflection occurs when a wave is produced perpendicular to the boundary
between a lossless dielectric and a perfect conductor and occurs in a particular
condition of the reflection of the waves.

How is the total refraction of an electromagnetic wave achieved by colliding with a

different propagation medium?
To achieve total refraction depends on a specific angle, this angle is known as a
Brewster angle and an expression of the reflection coefficient TM is obtained as a
function of the refractive indexes:
.
What do you mean by polarization of electromagnetic waves?
Polarization is a phenomenon that can occur in electromagnetic waves, such as light,
in the electric field. This plane can be defined by two vectors, one of them parallel to
the direction of propagation of the wave and another perpendicular to that same
direction which indicates the direction of the electric field

INPUT: DIEGO RUBIO MORENO

1. Determine 3 advantages and 2 disadvantages presented by natural

phenomena of refraction or reflection for the transmission of electromagnetic
waves.
- A sonar or echo sounder is a device that allows man to find out the position
to which objects located deep or submerged at a certain distance from a ship
are located. They are also used to find wrecks in the sea or ocean, schools
of fish and other submerged elements.
- This element works by emitting a wave signal those later returns to its origin
when it collides with some object.Radiopropagation: It is the behavior of radio
waves (electromagnetic) when they move through space. They are
transmitted, received or propagated from one point on Earth to another, to the
atmosphere or space. Being a form of electromagnetic radiation, in the same
way as light waves, radio waves are affected by the phenomena of Reflection.

- Refraction and reflection of electromagnetic waves, also present in different

electrical and electronic sensors, such as an inductive sensor, which is able
to detect an object when a change occurs in the electromagnetic field
surrounding it

2. Explain what Snell's Law is for in the propagation of electromagnetic waves.

Snell's law (also called the Snell-Descartes law) is a formula used to calculate
the refractive angle of light by traversing the separation surface between two
means of propagating light (or any electromagnetic wave) with a refractive
index. different.

3. How is the total reflection of an electromagnetic wave achieved by colliding

with a different medium of propagation?

The total reflection of an electromagnetic wave is the phenomenon that

occurs when a ray of light passes through a medium of refractive index n2
smaller than the refractive index n1 in which it is found, is refracted in such a
way that it is not capable of to cross the surface between both means
reflecting completely.

4. How is the total refraction of an electromagnetic wave achieved by colliding

with a different means of propagation?

In optics the total internal reflection is the phenomenon that occurs when a
ray of light crosses a means of refractive index n2 smaller than the index of
refraction n1 in which it is found, is refracted in such a way that it is not able
to cross the surface between both media completely reflecting.

This phenomenon only occurs for angles of incidence higher than a certain
critical value, θc. For larger angles the light stops crossing the surface and is
reflected internally completely. Total internal reflection only occurs in rays
 traveling from a medium of high refractive index towards lower refractive index
media.

The critical angle or limit angle is also the minimum angle of incidence at
which the total internal reflection occurs. The angle of incidence is measured
with respect to the normal separation of the media. The critical angle is given
by:

5. What do you mean by polarization of electromagnetic waves?

Electromagnetic polarization is a property of waves that can oscillate with
more than one orientation. This normally refers to the so-called transverse
waves, in particular it is usually spoken of electromagnetic waves, although it
can also occur in transverse mechanical waves. On the other hand, the sound
waves in a gas or liquid are exclusively longitudinal waves in which the
oscillation always goes in the direction of the wave; so there is no talk of
polarization in this type of waves.
In an electromagnetic wave, both the electric field and the magnetic field are
oscillating, but in different directions; both perpendicular to each other and
perpendicular to the propagation direction of the wave; By convention, the
polarization plane of light refers to the polarization of the electric field.

Choose one of the following problems, taken from “Cutnell, J. D., & Johnson,
K. W. (2009), John Wiley & Sons Ltd., New York & Paz, A. (2013)” solve it and
share the solution in the forum. Perform a critical analysis on the group
members’ contributions and reply this in the forum.

INPUT: DIEGO RUBIO MORENO

1. When red light in vacuum is incident at the Brewster angle on a

certain glass slab, the angle of refraction is 28°. What are (a) the
index of refraction of the glass and (b) the Brewster angle?

SOLUTION:

Light impinges from the vacuum towards the glass:

𝑛
𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝜑𝑏 = 𝑛2
1
 𝑛2 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝜑𝑏

Additionally, the refraction angle and the Bewster angle are

complementary and therefore 𝜑𝑏 =62° or.
Replacing you get
𝑛2 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝜑𝑏
𝑛2 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛 (62° )
𝑛2 = 1.89

INPUT: CARLOS ECHAVARRIA

In the following figure 𝑛1 = 1.9, 𝑛2 = 1.4, and 𝑛3 = 1.1, light refracts from material 1 into
material 2. If it is incident at point A at the critical angle for the interface between materials 2 and
3, what are:

a) the angle of refraction at point B and

First we need to find the critical angle at point “A” because the light makes a total internal
reflation because of n2 is higher than n3 and so

Using the nell´s law and a new graphic with the normal at that point
 𝑛2 𝑆𝑒𝑛𝜔 = 𝑛3 𝑆𝑒𝑛 90
𝑛3
𝑆𝑒𝑛𝜔 =
𝑛2
1,1
𝑆𝑒𝑛𝜔 =
1,4
𝜔 = 51,780

Knowing the right angle is equal to 90 degrees we can say

𝜔 + 𝛽 = 90
𝛽 = 90 − 𝜔
𝛽 = 90 − 51,78

𝛽 = 38,220

Appling the Geometric, we can say that opposite angles by vertex are equal, so

𝛽 = 𝛽𝑟
𝜔 = 𝜔𝑟

So the incident angle at point B with the new Normal is 𝛽𝑟 and applying snell´s law when the ray
diffract because n3 is lower than n2
 𝑛3 𝑆𝑒𝑛𝛾 = 𝑛2 𝑆𝑒𝑛 𝛽𝑟

b) the initial angle 𝜃?

𝑛1 𝑆𝑒𝑛∅ = 𝑛2 𝑆𝑒𝑛𝜔𝑟
𝑛2 𝑆𝑒𝑛𝜔𝑟
𝑆𝑒𝑛∅ =
𝑛1
1,4 𝑆𝑒𝑛 51,78
𝑆𝑒𝑛∅ =
1,9
∅ = 35,37𝑜

If, instead, light is incident at B at the critical angle for the interface between materials 2 and 3,
what are (c) the angle of refraction at point A and (d) the initial angle 𝜃

INPUT: JHON ANDERSON AMAYA

4. In the following figure a 3m long vertical pole extends from the bottom of a swimming pool to a
point 50cm above the water. Sunlight is incident at angle 𝜃 = 60𝑜. What is the length of the
shadow of the pole on the level bottom of the pool?

See figure attached for my drawing.

n1 = 1 for air

n2 = 1.33 for water

sin(θ2) = (n1/n2) *sin(θ1)

3. The attempt at a solution

Since N2 > N1, we know that the beam bends towards the normal.

θ1 = 90° - 60° =30 °

θ2 = arcsin[(1/1.33) *sin(30°)) = 22.08°

From here, it's geometry:

Tan(60°) = X1 / 50cm

X1 = 0.86m

Tan(22.08°) = X2/2.5m

X2 = 1.01m

X = X1 + X2 = 0.86m+1.01m= 1.87m

INPUT: ADEL JOSE TORO

CONCLUSIONS

- The modes of propagation of electromagnetic waves were studied correctly.

- Polarization modes are understood.
- The incidence in a normal plane was studied and correctly understood.
REFERENCES

Wiley J. & Sons Ltd. (2003). Electromagnetic Wave Propagation. Fixed Broadband
Wireless. 25-70. Retrieved
from http://bibliotecavirtual.unad.edu.co:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.
com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aci&AN=14505422&lang=es&site=ehost-live

Chen, W. (2005). The Electrical Engineering Handbook. Boston: Academic Press, 519-
524. Retrieved
from http://bibliotecavirtual.unad.edu.co:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.
com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=117152&lang=es&site=ehost-
live&ebv=EB&ppid=pp_519

Gutiérrez, W. (2017). Snell Law [Video]. Retrieved

from http://hdl.handle.net/10596/13140

Woodwell, G. (2016). Reflection And Refraction. Salem Press Encyclopedia Of

Science, Retrieved from
http://bibliotecavirtual.unad.edu.co:2051/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&AN=893171
93&lang=es&site=eds-live