What is the critical angle for total internal reflection if the refractive index

Practice Questions

Q1
What is the critical angle for total internal reflection if the refractive index of the medium is 1.5?
  1. 30 degrees
  2. 45 degrees
  3. 60 degrees
  4. 90 degrees

Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions

What is the critical angle for total internal reflection if the refractive index of the medium is 1.5?
Correct Answer: 42 degrees
  • 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 sin(θc) = 1/n, where n is the refractive index of the medium.
  • Step 3: Identify the refractive index given in the question, which is n = 1.5.
  • Step 4: Substitute the value of n into the formula: sin(θc) = 1/1.5.
  • Step 5: Calculate 1/1.5, which equals approximately 0.6667.
  • Step 6: Now, use the inverse sine function to find θc: θc = sin^(-1)(0.6667).
  • Step 7: Use a calculator to find sin^(-1)(0.6667), which gives approximately 41.81 degrees.
  • Step 8: Round the answer to the nearest whole number, which is approximately 42 degrees.
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