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JSGandora
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Refraction Problem:Distance Coin Appears to be in Glass Sphere
A solid glass sphere with a radius of 5.00 cm and index of refraction of 1.52 has a small coin embedded 3.00 cm from the front surface of the sphere. For the viewer looking at the coin through the glass, at what distance from the front surface of the glass does the coin's image appear to be located?
Snell's Law
I tried drawing two rays from the center of the coin, one as a diameter of the sphere and another through the top of the sphere, and found that the intersection of the first ray and the refracted second ray was at 1.97 cm from the front of the mirror. But that wasn't the correct answer. It looks like geometric interpretation won't be of use. I also tried Lensmaker's equation with curvature for the second side to be infinity but that also yielded the incorrect answer. How would you approach this?
Homework Statement
A solid glass sphere with a radius of 5.00 cm and index of refraction of 1.52 has a small coin embedded 3.00 cm from the front surface of the sphere. For the viewer looking at the coin through the glass, at what distance from the front surface of the glass does the coin's image appear to be located?
Homework Equations
Snell's Law
The Attempt at a Solution
I tried drawing two rays from the center of the coin, one as a diameter of the sphere and another through the top of the sphere, and found that the intersection of the first ray and the refracted second ray was at 1.97 cm from the front of the mirror. But that wasn't the correct answer. It looks like geometric interpretation won't be of use. I also tried Lensmaker's equation with curvature for the second side to be infinity but that also yielded the incorrect answer. How would you approach this?