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The Nature of Light The Nature of Light and theand the

Laws of Geometric Laws of Geometric OpticsOptics

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This photograph of a rainbow shows a distinct secondary rainbow with the colors reversed.The appearance of the rainbow depends on three optical phenomena discussed inthis chapter—reflection, refraction, and dispersion

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The Nature of LightThe Nature of LightNewton, the chief architect of the particle theory of light, held that particles Newton, the chief architect of the particle theory of light, held that particles were emitted from a light source and that these particles stimulated the sense were emitted from a light source and that these particles stimulated the sense of sight upon entering the eye. Using this idea, he was able to explain of sight upon entering the eye. Using this idea, he was able to explain reflection an refraction.reflection an refraction.Additional developments during the nineteenth century led to the general Additional developments during the nineteenth century led to the general acceptance of the wave theory of light, the most important resulting from the acceptance of the wave theory of light, the most important resulting from the work of Maxwell, who in 1873 asserted that light was a form of high-work of Maxwell, who in 1873 asserted that light was a form of high-frequency electromagnetic wave.frequency electromagnetic wave.Hertz discovered that when light strikes a metal surface, electrons are Hertz discovered that when light strikes a metal surface, electrons are sometimes ejected from the surface.sometimes ejected from the surface.This finding contradicted the wave theory.This finding contradicted the wave theory.An explanation of the photoelectric effect was proposed by Einstein in 1905 An explanation of the photoelectric effect was proposed by Einstein in 1905 in a theory that used the concept of quantizationin a theory that used the concept of quantizationAccording to Einstein’s theory, the energy of a photon is proportional to the According to Einstein’s theory, the energy of a photon is proportional to the frequency of the electromagnetic wave:frequency of the electromagnetic wave:

E E ==hfhf

Light exhibits the characteristics of a wave in some situations Light exhibits the characteristics of a wave in some situations and the characteristics of a particle in other situationsand the characteristics of a particle in other situations

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The Ray Approximation in The Ray Approximation in Geometric OpticsGeometric Optics

The field of geometric optics involves the study of the propagation of light, with theassumption that light travels in a fixed direction in a straight line as it passes through a uniform medium and changes its direction when it meets the surface of a different Medium. In the ray approximation, we assume that a wave moving through a medium travels in a straight line in the direction of its rays. The ray approximation and the assumption that λ˂˂ d are used. This approximation is very good for the study of mirrors, lenses, prisms, and associated optical instruments, such as telescopes, cameras, and eyeglasses.

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When a light ray traveling in one medium encounters a boundary with another medium, part of the incident light is reflected The reflected rays are parallel to each other, as indicated in the figure. The direction of a reflected ray is in the plane perpendicular to the reflecting surface that contains the incident ray. Reflection of light from such a smooth surface is called specular reflection. If the reflecting surface is rough, as shown in Figure below the surface reflects the rays not as a parallel set but in various directions. Reflection from any rough surface is known as diffuse reflection.

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ReflectionReflection

1'1 1 '

1

ray Incident ray Reflected

surfaceSmoothincidence of angle:1

reflection of angle :'1

Normal

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ExampleExampleTwo mirrors make an angle of 120° with each other, as illustrated in the figure below. A ray is incident on mirror M1 at an angle of 65° to the normal. Find the direction of the ray after it is reflected from mirror M2.

•To analyze the problem, note that from thelaw of reflection, we know that the first reflected ray makes an angle of 65° with the normal. Thus, this ray makes an angle of 90°- 65° = 25° with the horizontal. From the triangle made by the first reflected ray and the two mirrors, we see that the first reflected ray makes an angle of 35° with M2 (because the sum of the interior angles of any triangle is 180°). Therefore, this ray makes an angle of 55° with the normal to M2. From the law of reflection, the second reflected ray makes an angle of 55° with the normal to M2.

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RefractionRefraction

1 '1

ray Incident ray ReflectedNormal

2

Air

Glass

ray Refracted

ttanconsv

v

sin

sin

1

2

1

2

When a ray of light traveling through a transparent medium encounters a boundaryleading into another transparent medium, as shown in figure below, part of the energyis reflected and part enters the second medium. The ray that enters the secondmedium is bent at the boundary and is said to be refracted.

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RefractionRefraction

(a) When the light beam moves from air into glass, the light slows down on entering the glass and its path is bent toward the normal. (b When the beam moves from glass into air, the light speeds up on entering the air and its path is bent away from the normal.

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Quick QuizQuick Quiz

If beam 1 is the incoming beam in Figure If beam 1 is the incoming beam in Figure below which of the other four red lines are below which of the other four red lines are reflected beams and which are refracted reflected beams and which are refracted beams?beams?

1

2

5

3 4

1111

Index of refractionIndex of refraction

v

cn

The index of refraction n of a medium is defined by:

c is the speed of light in a vacuum

v is the speed of light in the medium

s/m103c 8

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Index of refractionIndex of refractionAs light travels from one medium to another, its As light travels from one medium to another, its frequency does not change but its wavelength does. frequency does not change but its wavelength does. To see why this is so, consider the figure below.

As a wave movesfrom medium 1 to medium 2, its wavelength changes but its frequency remains constant.

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Index of refractionIndex of refraction

2211 sinnsinn

n

n

In general, n varies with wavelength and is given by

medium the in h wavelengtthe is

h wavelengtvacuum the is

n

Snell’s law of refraction states that:

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ExampleExampleA beam of light of wavelength 550 nm traveling in air is incident on a slab of transparent material. The incident beam makes an angle of 40.0° with the normal, and the refracted beam makes an angle of 26.0° with the normal. Find the index of refraction of the material.

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Solution :Using Snell’s law of refraction

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Dispersion and PrismDispersion and PrismThe index of refraction varies with the wavelength of the lightpassing through a material. This behaviour is called dispersion(light of different wavelengths is bent at different angles when Incident on a refracting material.)

511.1nnm650

513.1nnm600

516.1nnm550

52.1nnm500

525.1nnm450

53.1nnm400

glassGrown

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Dispersion and PrismDispersion and Prism

To understand the effects that dispersion can have on light, consider what happens when light strikes a prism, as shown in Figure . A ray of single-wavelength light incident on the prism from the left emerges refracted from its original direction of travel by an angle ∂, called the angle of deviation.

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Dispersion and PrismDispersion and Prism

Now suppose that a beam of white light (a combination of all visible wavelengths) is incident on a prism, as illustrated in Figure in the next slide. The rays that emerge spread out in a series of colors known as the visible spectrum. These colors, in order of decreasing wavelength, are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Clearly, the angle of deviation ∂ depends on wavelength. Violet light deviates the most, red the least, and the remaining colors in the visible spectrum fall between these extremes. Newton showed that each color has a particular angle of deviation and that the colors can be recombined to form the original white light.

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Dispersion and PrismDispersion and Prism

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ExampleExample

The rainbowThe rainbow To understand how a rainbow is formed, consider Figure on the left. A ray of sunlight (which is white light) passing overhead strikes a drop of water in the atmosphere and is refracted and reflected as follows: It is first refracted at the front surface of the drop, with the violet light deviating the most and the red light the least. At the backsurface of the drop, the light is reflected and returns to the front surface, where it again undergoes refraction as it moves from water into air.

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Total Internal ReflectionTotal Internal Reflection

c

1

22n

1n12 nn

An interesting effect called total internal reflection can occur when light is directedfrom a medium having a given index of refraction toward one having a lower index ofrefraction. The refracted rays are bent away from the normal because n2 is greater thann1. At some particular angle of incidence θc , called the critical angle. At this angle ofincidence, all of the energy of the incident light is reflected.

2222

Total InternalTotal Internal ReflectionReflection

2211 sinnsinn

2

1c n

nsin

c21 sinnn

reflection internal total have we, For c2

We can use Snell’s law of refraction to find the critical angle. When θ2 = θc, and θ 1 = 90°

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ExampleExample

Find the critical angle for an air–water boundary. (The index of refraction of water is 1.33.)

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solutionsolution

Refractive index of air = nRefractive index of air = n22

Refractive index of water = nRefractive index of water = n11

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Total Internal Reflection: Fiber OpticsTotal Internal Reflection: Fiber Optics

1n12 nn

2n

A flexible light pipe is called an optical fiber. If a bundle of parallel fibers is used to construct an optical transmission line, images can be transferred from one point to another. This technique is used in a sizable industry known as fiber optics.

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Total Internal Reflection: Fiber OpticsTotal Internal Reflection: Fiber Optics

A practical optical fiber consists of a transparent core surrounded by a cladding, material that has a lower index of refraction than the core. Because the index of refraction of the cladding is less than that of the core, light traveling in the core experiences total internal reflection if it arrives at the interface between the core and the cladding at an angle of incidence that exceeds the critical angle. In this case, light “bounces” along the core of the optical fiber, losing very little of its intensity as it travels.

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ExampleExample

physicians often use such devices to examine internal organs of the body or to perform surgery without making large incisions. Optical fiber cables are replacing copper wiring and coaxial cables for telecommunications because the fibers can carry a much greater volume of telephone calls or other forms of communication than electrical wires can.