Index of refraction optics problem

In summary: E.F. is the angle between the rays of light that hit the glass and the rays that go out the other side. If you look at the image, you can see that the angle between the ray that went in and the ray that came out is 30 degrees. This is because the ray that went in is at the bottom of the triangle and the ray that came out is at the top of the triangle. So by subtracting the angle between the two rays, you get the angle between the triangle and the line.With trignomentry, you can find the length of the ray that went in. This is because the triangle is orientated so that the longest ray goes into the triangle. So by measuring
  • #1
brad sue
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Hey , I need some indication to solve this problem:

A ray light impinges at a 60 degres angle of incidence on a glass pane of thickness 5mm and index of refraction of 1.54.
the ligth is reflected by a mirror that touches the back of the pane. By how much is the beam displaced compared with the return path it would have if the pane were absent?


I found the angle x --normal with the refracted ray. x= 34.2 degres.
I also found the length of the ray entering in the glass (up to the mirror)--L= 5.10-3\ cos(x)=6.0 10-3m

From here what can I do to find the displacement?
I attach a picture of the problem.

Thank you
 

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  • #2
Edit: Ah I misread the question (didn't realize there was a mirror).
 
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  • #3
See my image, where the capital letters are points and 'd' is the displacement.

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/8789/optics9xq.gif

In the situation [tex]\angle EBF = 90 - 60 = 30[/tex]. Which indicates that [tex]\angle BEF = 180 - 30 - ( 90 + 30 ) = 30[/tex] as points BEF form a triangle (which have a maximum of 180 degress, so from that subtract [tex]\angle EBF[/tex] then [tex]\angle BFE[/tex]).

Now I'm pretty sure [tex]\angle FCE[/tex] forms a right angle. If they do you then get a whole series of right angle triangles and using trignomentry and pythagoras's theroem enable you to work out "d".

This is probably a cumbersome way of going about it, but its the only way I can see at the moment.
 
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  • #4
Beam me down said:
See my image, where the capital letters are points and 'd' is the displacement.

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/8789/optics9xq.gif

In the situation [tex]\angle EBF = 90 - 60 = 30[/tex]. Which indicates that [tex]\angle BEF = 180 - 30 - ( 90 + 30 ) = 30[/tex] as points BEF form a triangle (which have a maximum of 180 degress, so from that subtract [tex]\angle EBF[/tex] then [tex]\angle BFE[/tex]).

Now I'm pretty sure [tex]\angle FCE[/tex] forms a right angle. If they do you then get a whole series of right angle triangles and using trignomentry and pythagoras's theroem enable you to work out "d".

This is probably a cumbersome way of going about it, but its the only way I can see at the moment.
Make more sense now. Thank you I will try to go from here.
B.
 
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FAQ: Index of refraction optics problem

What is the index of refraction in optics?

The index of refraction in optics is a measure of how much the speed of light is reduced when it passes through a certain material. It is a dimensionless quantity and is typically denoted by the symbol "n".

How is the index of refraction calculated?

The index of refraction is calculated by dividing the speed of light in a vacuum by the speed of light in the material. This can be represented by the equation n = c/v, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum and v is the speed of light in the material.

What factors affect the index of refraction?

The index of refraction can be affected by several factors, including the density and composition of the material, as well as the wavelength and polarization of the light passing through it. Temperature and pressure can also have an impact on the index of refraction.

What is the relationship between the index of refraction and the angle of refraction?

The index of refraction is directly proportional to the angle of refraction, meaning that as the index of refraction increases, so does the angle of refraction. This relationship is described by Snell's Law: n1sinθ1 = n2sinθ2, where n1 and n2 are the indices of refraction of the two materials and θ1 and θ2 are the angles of incidence and refraction, respectively.

How does the index of refraction affect the bending of light?

The index of refraction determines how much light is bent as it passes through a material. The higher the index of refraction, the more the light will be bent. This is why light appears to bend when it passes through a lens or a prism.

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