A fiber optic cable uses total internal reflection. If the refractive index of t

A fiber optic cable uses total internal reflection. If the refractive index of the core is 1.6 and the cladding is 1.5, what is the critical angle?

A fiber optic cable uses total internal reflection. If the refractive index of the core is 1.6 and the cladding is 1.5, what is the critical angle?

Step 1: Understand that total internal reflection occurs when light travels from a medium with a higher refractive index to a medium with a lower refractive index.
Step 2: Identify the refractive indices given: the core has a refractive index (n1) of 1.6 and the cladding has a refractive index (n2) of 1.5.
Step 3: Use the formula for the critical angle (θc): θc = sin⁻¹(n2/n1).
Step 4: Substitute the values into the formula: θc = sin⁻¹(1.5/1.6).
Step 5: Calculate the value of 1.5/1.6, which is approximately 0.9375.
Step 6: Find the inverse sine (sin⁻¹) of 0.9375 using a calculator or trigonometric table.
Step 7: The result is approximately 38.7°, which is the critical angle.

Total Internal Reflection – The phenomenon where light is completely reflected within a medium when it hits the boundary at an angle greater than the critical angle.
Refractive Index – A measure of how much light bends when entering a material; the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the material.
Critical Angle – The minimum angle of incidence at which total internal reflection occurs, dependent on the refractive indices of the two media.