In which scenario would total internal reflection NOT occur?
Practice Questions
Q1
In which scenario would total internal reflection NOT occur?
Light traveling from glass to air at a steep angle.
Light traveling from water to air at a shallow angle.
Light traveling from diamond to air at a high angle.
Light traveling from air to water at any angle.
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
In which scenario would total internal reflection NOT occur?
Correct Answer: When light travels from air to water.
Step 1: Understand what total internal reflection is. It happens when light tries to move from a denser medium to a rarer medium and hits the boundary at a certain angle.
Step 2: Identify the types of mediums. A rarer medium is one that is less dense (like air), and a denser medium is one that is more dense (like water).
Step 3: Recognize the direction of light. Total internal reflection occurs when light goes from a denser medium (like water) to a rarer medium (like air).
Step 4: Determine the scenario in the question. The question asks about light traveling from a rarer medium (air) to a denser medium (water).
Step 5: Conclude that in this scenario, total internal reflection cannot happen because the light will always bend (refract) into the water instead of reflecting back.
