Refraction

Chapter 15
 Refraction
• Refraction: The bending of light as it
travels from one medium to another

• Refraction occurs when light’s velocity

changes

• The speed of light varies with the medium

Refraction

Θi = Angle of Incidence
Θr = Angle of Refraction
 Index of Refraction
• Index of Refraction = speed of light in vacuum
speed of light in medium

c speed of light in a vaccuum

n 
v speed of light in the medium
*Only valid for light with wavelength of 589 nm in a
vacuum (p. 564)
 Snell’s Law
Snell’s Law determines the angle of
refraction
nisin(θi) = nrsin(θr)
ni = Index of refraction of first medium
nr = Index of refraction of second medium

θi = Angle of Incidence
θr = Angle of Refraction
 Bending relative to the normal
• When light passes from a medium with a
low index of refraction to a medium with a
high index of refraction, the ray bends
toward the normal

• When light passes from a medium with a

high index of refraction to a medium with a
low index of refraction, the ray bends
away from the normal
CATBEAR trying to catch a
fish!!!
 Sample Problem (p.567 #4)
• Sunlight passes into a raindrop at an
angle of 22.5° from the normal at one
point on the droplet. What is the angle of
refraction?
 Sunlight into a raindrop
• Will the ray bend away from the normal or
towards the normal?
– Low n to high n, the ray will bend toward the
normal
θi

θr
 Use Snell’s Law
ni sin  i  nr sin  r

ni sin  i
sin  r 
nr

1  ni sin  i   )

(1)(sin( 22.5
 r  sin    sin 
1
  16.68 
 nr   1.333 
 The Catbear lyrics
When catbear was just a kitten
His mom was killed by a kid wearing mittens
The little cat searched far and wide
For a friend to be by his side

One day a hunter captured a bear cub

While its mom was out hunting for grub
When the bear returned to her den
A kitten was where her cub had been

Chorus: Catbear, The Catbear

He looks like a cat, he thinks like a bear
Cat bear, The Catbear
He’s Trying to catch a fish that’s really not there
 Catbear (lyrics continued)
The bear raised the kitten as her son
They had each other, so both of them won
The kitten had only one wish
To learn to catch a really big fish
He caught the fish with one big swipe
And gulped it down without a gripe
The fish cried “It’s not fair!”
Due to refraction, the cat’s in the air!
Chorus: Catbear, The Catbear, he looks like a cat, but thinks like a bear!
Catbear, The Catbear, he’s trying to catch a fish that’s really not there!

Well the bear was proud of her offspring

So one day they went to a pier
The bear told him he had nothing to fear
Snell’s Law will guide your claws
And soon that fish will be in your paws
And thought of all the fish he would bring
She said they were quite the pair
And named her son…THE CATBEAR!!
Chorus (repeat 3x)

Well along came a poor fish

Who didn’t know he’d be a tasty dish
The kitten used the laws of refraction
And the wooden boards to get good traction
 Real life best friends

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1026216/Pictured-The-cat-bear-best-friends-simply-bear-apart.html