glass
mirror
Critical Angle
For glass-air interface, the angle of refraction in
air > incident angle
glass
normal
Partial reflection
Incident angle
Angle of refraction
AIR
Next
glass
i
r
AIR
glass
iC
90 r
o
AIR
sin r
sin190o
n=
=
sin i
sin C
n x sin C = 1
1
sin C =
n
1 1.33 = 0.75
sin-1 0.75 = 48.8o
=> C = 48.75o
1
sin C =
n
11
Csin
= sin
C =( )
nn
-1
What if ...
the angle of incidence (from glass) is larger
than the critical angle?
A
Next
AIR
water
see
Youthe
seesky here
You You
see
water
waves
total internal
through refraction
here here
reflection
waves
total internal
reflection here
total internal
reflection here
water
Yes
totally internally
reflected ray
water
C is
critical angle
total internal
reflection here
1
C = sin ( )
n
-1