A student draws a ray diagram for light moving from air into glass at an oblique angle
PHYSICS · Single correct · A Level · Physics · Waves · Waves
Problem
A student draws a ray diagram for light moving from air into glass at an oblique angle. In the diagram the refracted ray is shown bending away from the normal inside the glass. Which best explains why the diagram is incorrect?
(a) The angles of incidence and refraction are equal for light entering glass, so the ray should continue in the same direction.
(b) Light entering a medium with a higher index of refraction must bend toward, not away from, the normal.
(c) Because glass has a lower index of refraction than air, the ray should actually bend away from the normal.
(d) At this incident angle the light would undergo total internal reflection, so no refracted ray should appear inside the glass.