Refraction

Question 1

what is refraction

Answer 1

when light waves go through a transparent object and leave at a different angle

Question 2

if light is coming in from a less dense object to a denser object, how does it react

Answer 2

it refracts towards the normal due to the decrease in velocity

Question 3

if light is coming in from a denser object to a less dense object, how does it react

Answer 3

it refracts away from the normal due to the increase in velocity

Question 4

the denser the material…

Answer 4

the closer to the normal the light refracts to

Question 5

what is the ‘normal’ in refraction

Answer 5

the angle perpendicular to the side of the object the light is entering from

Question 6

effects of refraction in our daily lives and why

Answer 6

• swimming pools look shallower than they are

- this is because light from the bottom of the pool bends when it comes out of the surface

Question 7

what is transmission

Answer 7

when all light waves move through an object without being absorbed

Question 8

describe an experiment where you can investigate refraction

Answer 8

• place a rectangular glass block on a piece of paper and trace around it
• use a ray box to shine a ray of light at the middle of one side of the block
• trace the incident ray and the emergent ray on the other side of the block
• remove the block and join up the incident and emergent ray with a straight line
• showing the path of the refracted ray through the block
• draw the normal at the point where the ray entered the block and do the same for the emergent ray

Question 9

what is the angle of the incidence in the experiment

Answer 9

the angle between the incident ray coming in and the normal

Question 10

what is the angle of emergence in the experiment

Answer 10

the angle between the emergent ray coming out and the normal

Question 11

what would you see from the experiment for refraction

Answer 11

• the ray of the light bends towards the normal as it enters the block
• so the angle of refraction is less than the angle of incidence

Question 12

why is the angle of refraction less than the angle of incidence in the refraction experiment

Answer 12

• air has one of the lowest optical densities that there is

- so the light ray will slow down when it enters the block

Question 13

why is the angle of refraction less than the angle of emergence in the refraction experiment

Answer 13

the light ray speeds up as it leaves the block and travels through the air