Optics Reflection And Refraction Lab Report Conclusion

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Optics: Reflection and Refraction and Lab Report

Introduction

The objective of this experiment was to analyze the laws of reflection and refraction. In this experiment, the relationship between the angle of reflection, the angle of refraction, and the angle of incidence was established. If a line is normal to the surface at the point where the light beam strikes the surface, then the reflected angle is equal to the angle of incidence as shown in figure 1. It is important to note that these angles are measured relative to the normal. Figure 1: Reflection and Refraction of Light

Refraction occurs when part of the beam of light incident to a surface bends as it

Table 3: Measured and Calculated values of the Critical angle

Calculated Index from Table 2 Measured Critical Angle (in degrees) Calculate Critical Angle (in degrees) Percent Difference

1.46 42 43.24 -2.95%

The critical angle was calculated using equation (iv): n_1 sin⁡〖θ_c 〗= n_2

Light travels from glass with a higher refractive index, to air with a lower refractive index. The angle of incidence is 90̊. Thus, Sin 90̊ =1.

Making the Critical angle,θ_c the subject of the formula: sin⁡〖θ_c 〗= n_2/n_1 θ_c = 〖sin〗^(-1)⁡〖n_2/n_1 〗

= 〖sin〗^(-1)⁡〖1.0003/1.46〗 = 43.24 ̊

Table 4: Index of Refraction Water Glass

Trial ɵ_incident ɵ_reflected n_2 ɵ_incident ɵ_reflected n_2

1 30 26 1.14 30 23 1.28

2 45 35 1.23 45 30 1.41

3 60 43 1.27 60 40 1.35

Average 1.213