If the refractive index of a medium is 1.33, what is the critical angle for tota
Practice Questions
Q1
If the refractive index of a medium is 1.33, what is the critical angle for total internal reflection?
48.6°
60.0°
30.0°
45.0°
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
If the refractive index of a medium is 1.33, what is the critical angle for total internal reflection?
Step 1: Understand that the critical angle is the angle of incidence above which total internal reflection occurs.
Step 2: Know that the formula to find the critical angle (θc) is θc = sin⁻¹(1/n), where n is the refractive index of the medium.
Step 3: In this case, the refractive index (n) is given as 1.33.
Step 4: Substitute the value of n into the formula: θc = sin⁻¹(1/1.33).
Step 5: Calculate 1/1.33, which is approximately 0.7519.
Step 6: Use a calculator to find the inverse sine (sin⁻¹) of 0.7519.
Step 7: The result will give you the critical angle, which is approximately 48.6°.
Refractive Index – The refractive index is a measure of how much light slows down in a medium compared to vacuum.
Critical Angle – The critical angle is the angle of incidence above which total internal reflection occurs when light travels from a denser to a less dense medium.
Total Internal Reflection – Total internal reflection is the phenomenon where light is completely reflected back into a medium when it hits the boundary at an angle greater than the critical angle.