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Fugie Runner
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Do photons reflected off prisms exert directional force however small as they are reflected off the hypotenuse side of a right triangle shaped prism?
humanino said:I fully agree with jtbell answers. I would like to point out that the original question suggests that photons can somehow bounce off a surface. Technically however, photons being massless cannot be put at rest, so must be absorbed and re-emitted. Maybe just nitpicking
The reflection of photons on prisms is based on the principle of total internal reflection. This occurs when light traveling through a denser medium strikes the boundary of a less dense medium at an angle greater than the critical angle, causing all of the light to be reflected back into the denser medium instead of being refracted.
Prisms manipulate the direction of light by causing the light to change direction as it passes through the different surfaces of the prism. This change in direction is caused by the different indices of refraction of the materials that make up the prism. The angle at which the light enters and exits the prism also plays a role in determining the direction of the light.
The directional force of light reflected on prisms is affected by the angle of incidence, the angle of refraction, and the indices of refraction of the materials that make up the prism. The shape and size of the prism also play a role in determining the direction of the reflected light.
The color of light does not directly affect its reflection on prisms, but it can indirectly impact the direction of the reflected light. This is because the different colors of light have different wavelengths, and the wavelength of light affects its index of refraction, which in turn affects the angle at which the light is refracted and reflected on the prism.
The reflection of photons on prisms has many practical applications, such as in optical devices like telescopes and microscopes. Prisms are also used in spectroscopy to separate and analyze the different wavelengths of light. They are also used in binoculars and cameras to help magnify and focus light. In addition, prisms are used in various scientific experiments and in the production of optical fibers for telecommunication purposes.