PHYSICS – Reflection and Refraction
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Core Supplement
•Describe the formation of an optical Describe the formation of an optical image
image by a plane mirror, and give its by a plane mirror, and give its
characteristics characteristics
• Recall and use the law angle of incidence • Recall and use the law angle of incidence
= angle of reflection = angle of reflection
Describe an experimental demonstration of Recall and use the definition of refractive
the refraction of light index n in terms of speed
• Use the terminology for the angle of • Recall and use the equation sin I / sin r=n
incidence i and angle of refraction r and • Recall and use n = n = 1 / sin c
describe the passage of light through • Describe and explain the action of optical
parallel-sided transparent material fibres particularly in medicine and
• Give the meaning of critical angle communications technology
• Describe internal and total internal
reflection
Describe the action of a thin converging
lens on a beam of light
• Use the terms principal focus and focal
length
• Draw ray diagrams for the formation of a Draw and use ray diagrams for the
real image by a single lens formation of a virtual image by a single lens
• Describe the nature of an image using • Use and describe the use of a single lens
the terms enlarged/same size/diminished as a magnifying glass • Show understanding
and upright/inverted of the terms real image and virtual image
Waves
Features of light
1. Light is a form of radiation
2. Light travels is straight lines
3. Light transfer energy
4. Light travels as waves
5. Light can travel through empty space
6. Light is the fastest thing there is
Reflection in a Plane
Mirror
Plane mirror
Reflection in a Plane
Mirror
Normal
Plane mirror
Reflection in a Plane
Mirror
Normal
Incident ray
Plane mirror
Reflection in a Plane
Mirror
Normal
Incident ray Reflected ray
Plane mirror
Reflection in a Plane
Mirror
Normal
Incident ray Reflected ray
Angle of Angle of
incidence reflection
Plane mirror
Reflection in a Plane
Mirror
Normal
Incident ray Reflected ray
Angle of Angle of
incidence reflection REMINDER: always use
a ruler to draw light
rays (light travels in
straight lines) and don’t
forget to include arrows
showing direction of
light.
Plane mirror
Reflection in a Plane
Mirror
Normal
Incident ray Reflected ray
Angle of Angle of
incidence reflection
Plane mirror
Laws of reflection:
Reflection in a Plane
Mirror
Normal
Incident ray Reflected ray
Angle of Angle of
incidence reflection
Plane mirror
Laws of reflection:
1. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
Reflection in a Plane
Mirror
Normal
Incident ray Reflected ray
Angle of Angle of
incidence reflection
Plane mirror
Laws of reflection:
1. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
2. The incident ray, the reflected ray and the normal all lie
in the same plane (i.e. the two rays and the normal can
all be drawn on a single sheet of flat paper).
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
The image in the mirror
looks the same as the
object, but it is
laterally inverted
(back to front).
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
The image in the mirror
looks the same as the
object, but it is The image formed
laterally inverted is upright, but it is
a virtual image
(doesn’t really
exist).
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Dotted lines show
the construction of
the virtual image)
The image in the mirror
looks the same as the
object, but it is The image formed
laterally inverted is upright, but it is
(back to front). a virtual image
(doesn’t really
exist).
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Normal view from the
front.
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Normal view from the Same view as seen in
front. the rear view mirror of
a car.
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Normal view from the Same view as seen in
front. the rear view mirror of
a car.
The word AMBULANCE is laterally inverted so
that it reads correctly when seen in a driving
mirror.
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Finding this image by
experiment.
Put a mirror
upright on a
piece of paper.
Put a pin in front
of the mirror –
mark the
position of the
pin and mirror.
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Finding this image by
experiment.
Line up one edge
of the ruler with
the image of the
pin. Draw a line
to mark the
position.
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Finding this image by
experiment.
Repeat with the
ruler in a
different
position.
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Finding this image by
experiment.
Take away the
ruler and mirror
– where the two
lines meet is the
position of the
image.
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Finding this image by Test the position
experiment.
by putting a
second pin
exactly where
the image was
marked. The
second pin
should stay in
line with the
mirror image
where-ever you
view it from =
no parallax.
Where is the image in a Plane Mirror?
Finding this image by
experiment.
Rules for mirror
images:
1. Image is the
same size as
the object.
2. Image is as
far behind the
mirror as the
X X object is in
front.
Refraction
• Refraction is the
bending of light
when it travels from
one medium to
another.
Refraction
• Refraction is the
bending of light
when it travels from
one medium to
another.
• A ‘medium’ is glass,
or air, or water
Refraction
Air
Glass
block
Refraction
Light passing through a
glass block at right angles
to the surface will not be
refracted. The rays will
pass straight through. Air
Glass
block
Refraction
Air
Glass
block
Normal
line
Refraction
Angle of
incidence Incident
Air light ray
Glass
block
Normal
line
Refraction
Angle of
incidence Incident
Air light ray
Glass
block
Refracted
light ray Angle of
refraction
Normal
line
Refraction
Angle of
incidence Incident
Air light ray
When passing from
a less dense
medium (air) to a
Glass more dense
block medium (glass)
light bends
towards the
Refracted normal.
light ray Angle of
refraction
Normal
line
Refraction
Angle of
incidence Incident
Air light ray
Glass
block
Refracted
light ray Angle of
refraction
Normal
line
Refraction
Angle of
incidence Incident
Air light ray
Glass
block
Refracted
light ray Angle of
The ray emerges
refraction
from the block Normal
parallel to its original
direction. line
Refraction
So why is
light
refracted?
Air
Glass
block
Normal
line
Refraction
So why is
light
refracted?
Air
Glass Light is
made up
block of many
tiny waves
Normal
line
Refraction
So why is
light
refracted?
Air
Glass
When light beams pass block
from air into glass one
side is slowed before
the other. This causes
the light beam to
‘bend’
Connecting the learning.
What happens as a ray of light enters a glass
block?
It bends towards the normal.
Why?
Because the speed of light changes
Real and Apparent Depth
What is the
‘refractive index’?
What is the
‘refractive index’?
The refractive
index of a medium
(glass, water) is
defined as the
speed of light in a
vacuum divided by
the speed of light
in the medium.
What is the
‘refractive index’?
Refractive
The refractive Medium
index
index of a medium Vacuum 1.0000
(glass, water) is Air 1.0003
defined as the Water 1.3333
speed of light in a Glass 1.5200
vacuum divided by Diamond 2.4170
the speed of light Perspex 1.4900
in the medium.
Refractive index = Speed of light in a
vacuum
Speed of light in
medium
Refraction of light by a
prism.
White light
*monochromatic vs polichromatic
Refraction of light by a
prism.
Refraction
Refraction of light by a
prism.
Refraction of light by a
prism.
This effect is called dispersion
Refraction of light by a
prism.
This effect is called dispersion
Refraction of light by a
prism.
This effect is called dispersion
It happens because white is a
mixture of all the colours in the
Can refraction and
reflection occur
simultaneously?
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Core Supplement
•Describe the formation of an optical Describe the formation of an optical image
image by a plane mirror, and give its by a plane mirror, and give its
characteristics characteristics
• Recall and use the law angle of incidence • Recall and use the law angle of incidence
= angle of reflection = angle of reflection
Describe an experimental demonstration of Recall and use the definition of refractive
the refraction of light index n in terms of speed
• Use the terminology for the angle of • Recall and use the equation sin I / sin r=n
incidence i and angle of refraction r and • Recall and use n = n = 1 / sin c
describe the passage of light through • Describe and explain the action of optical
parallel-sided transparent material fibres particularly in medicine and
• Give the meaning of critical angle communications technology
• Describe internal and total internal
reflection
Describe the action of a thin converging
lens on a beam of light
• Use the terms principal focus and focal
length
• Draw ray diagrams for the formation of a Draw and use ray diagrams for the
real image by a single lens formation of a virtual image by a single lens
• Describe the nature of an image using • Use and describe the use of a single lens
the terms enlarged/same size/diminished as a magnifying glass • Show understanding
and upright/inverted of the terms real image and virtual image
PHYSICS – Reflection and Refraction
