Angle of Refraction When Going from Glass to Air
When light travels from a denser medium like glass to a less dense medium like air, the behavior of the light is governed by Snell's Law. This critical concept helps us understand the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of refraction.
Understanding Refraction
- Refraction occurs when light passes from one medium to another, changing speed and direction.
- In the case of glass and air, light moves from a medium with a higher refractive index (glass) to one with a lower refractive index (air).
Angle of Incidence vs. Angle of Refraction
- Angle of Incidence (i): The angle at which incoming light strikes the surface of the glass.
- Angle of Refraction (r): The angle at which light exits into the air.
Key Relationship
- According to Snell's Law (n1 * sin(i) = n2 * sin(r)), where n1 is the refractive index of glass and n2 is that of air:
- The refractive index of glass is greater than that of air (n(glass) ≈ 1.5, n(air) ≈ 1.0).
- This means that as light exits the glass, the angle of refraction (r) will be greater than the angle of incidence (i).
Conclusion
- When transitioning from glass to air, the angle of refraction is greater than the angle of incidence.
- This phenomenon explains why objects viewed through glass appear distorted or shifted. Understanding this principle is essential in fields like optics, photography, and various engineering applications.