Physics: Refraction and Reflection Concepts

The index of refraction (n) is a measure of how much light bends when it enters a medium. If the index of refraction is less than 1, it implies that the speed of light is greater in the medium than in a vacuum.

When light enters a medium with a higher index of refraction (n), it slows down. The higher the index, the more the light bends.

The polarizing angle, also known as Brewster's angle, is the angle at which unpolarized light incident on a surface becomes completely polarized.

Spherical aberration is a type of optical distortion that occurs in spherical lenses. It happens when light rays passing through different parts of the lens focus at slightly different points, causing a blurry image.

When an object is placed within the focal length of a concave mirror, the image formed is virtual, upright, and magnified.

The separation between orders (brightness maxima) in a diffraction grating pattern depends on the slit spacing (d) and the wavelength of light (λ). Increasing the number of slits does not change the spacing between orders but improves sharpness.

The speed of light is slowest in a material with the highest refractive index. The order of materials from fastest to slowest for light is: air, water, oil, flint glass, diamond.

Convex mirrors produce a virtual, upright, and diminished image. The image appears closer than the actual object, making objects seem smaller and further away.

The critical angle is the angle of incidence at which a light ray passing from a denser medium to a less dense medium is refracted along the boundary between the two media.

The difference in angles between two refracted light rays of different wavelengths, like red and blue, when they enter a material.

A mirror that curves outward, like the back of a spoon. It produces a smaller, virtual image that appears closer than the object.

A material that allows only light waves vibrating in a specific direction to pass through. It blocks out all other directions of vibration.

The separation of white light into different colors, caused by variations in the refractive index of the medium for different wavelengths.

An optical component with many closely spaced parallel lines that diffracts light into different colors. More lines per cm mean greater sharpness.

Demonstrates the wave nature of light by creating interference patterns when light passes through two narrow slits. The spacing between the fringes depends on slit separation and wavelength.

The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another. Caused by changes in the speed of light in different media.

In most transparent materials, a higher refractive index means a higher frequency (shorter wavelength) of light.

A lens that causes parallel light rays to converge at a single point, the focal point. Has positive power.

Screens that use liquid crystals, molecules that align themselves in response to electric fields, to control the passage of light and display images.

A mirror that curves inward, like the inside of a spoon. It can produce real (inverted) or virtual (upright) images, depending on the object's position.

The scattering of electromagnetic radiation off particles much smaller than the wavelength of the radiation, which causes the sky to appear blue.

The angle between the refracted light ray and the normal to the surface, after light passes from one medium to another.

The image formed by a magnifying glass is always virtual, upright, and magnified.

When white light enters a medium like glass, different colors refract at slightly different angles, causing separation.

When an object is placed inside the focal point of a converging lens, the image is virtual, upright, and magnified.

When two waves meet out of phase, they cancel each other out, resulting in darkness.

A formula describing the conditions for constructive interference when X-rays are diffracted by a crystal lattice.

A measure of how much a medium slows down light compared to its speed in a vacuum.

A classic experiment demonstrating the wave nature of light. Two slits create an interference pattern on a screen.

The distance between the two slits in Young's double-slit experiment determines the spacing of the interference pattern.

Two light waves are in phase when their crests and troughs align, leading to constructive interference and increased brightness.

When light enters a medium of different optical density, its speed and wavelength change, but its frequency remains constant.

The magnification of a virtual image formed by a lens is positive, indicating upright orientation.

The higher the order of the diffraction maximum (n), the larger the angle (theta) at which it occurs.

The angle of incidence on a prism determines the direction of the emergent ray.

Parallel rays reflecting off a concave mirror converge at the focal point.

When light travels from a less dense medium to a denser medium, it bends toward the normal.

Light travels slowest through materials with the highest index of refraction.

The magnification of a concave mirror can be positive (upright image) or negative (inverted image) depending on the object's position.

Images formed by concave lenses can be either real or virtual. The image is real when the object is placed beyond the focal point, and virtual when placed within the focal point.

Fiber optics utilize total internal reflection, where light travels within the fiber by repeatedly bouncing off the inner surface at angles greater than the critical angle.

The colorful patterns on oil slicks are caused by interference of light waves reflecting off the top and bottom surfaces of the thin oil film.

When an object is placed at the center of curvature of a concave mirror, the image is real, inverted, and the same size as the object.

An object placed at the center of curvature of a double concave mirror will have its image formed at the same location as the object, but it will be upright.

Chromatic aberration occurs because different wavelengths of light have different speeds in a material. This results in different colors focusing at different points, causing a blurry image.

Rainbows are created by sunlight being refracted (bent) and dispersed (separated into colors) by water droplets, and then reflected back to the observer.

When the refractive index of the glass in a lens varies with wavelength, this leads to chromatic aberration because different colors will focus at different points.

Total internal reflection occurs when light travels from a medium with a higher index of refraction to a medium with a lower index of refraction at an angle greater than the critical angle.

The critical angle for light traveling from crown glass (n = 1.52) into water (n = 1.33) is approximately 61 degrees.

When light enters a material with a higher index of refraction, it slows down. This is because the material interacts more with the light, causing it to travel slower.

The polarizing angle, also known as Brewster's angle, is the angle at which unpolarized light incident on a surface becomes completely polarized, meaning it vibrates only in one direction.

Spherical lenses suffer from spherical aberration, where light rays passing through different parts of the lens focus at slightly different points, leading to a blurry image.

The separation between orders (brightness maxima) in a diffraction grating pattern depends on the slit spacing and the wavelength of light. Increasing the number of slits does not change the spacing between orders but improves sharpness.

Diamond has the slowest speed of light among the given options - air, water, oil, flint glass, and diamond. This is because diamond has the highest refractive index.

This warning indicates that the mirror is convex. Convex mirrors produce a virtual, upright, and diminished image, making objects appear smaller and further away than they actually are.

The angle at which light bends when passing from air into glass. This angle depends on the index of refraction of the glass.

The image formed by a magnifying glass is always upright, despite the magnification.

When red and blue light pass through glass, blue light bends more than red light, causing a separation in the emerging beams.

If an object is placed within the focal point of a converging lens, the image formed is virtual, upright, and magnified.

The angle of incidence at which a light ray passing from a denser medium to a less dense medium is totally reflected back into the denser medium.

Destructive interference occurs when two waves meet out of phase, resulting in darkness. The path difference between the waves is a multiple of half a wavelength, m λ /2 where m=1, 3, 5, 7, ...

The condition 2d sin(θ) = n λ describes the angles at which X-ray beams are diffracted by a crystal lattice, creating interference patterns.

The index of refraction (n) of a medium indicates the speed of light in that medium relative to its speed in a vacuum. The speed of light is slower in a medium with a higher index of refraction.

When light passes through two narrow slits, it creates an interference pattern on a screen, with alternating bright and dark bands.

The distance between the two slits in Young's double-slit experiment determines the spacing between the bright fringes in the interference pattern.

Two light waves are in phase when their crests and troughs align, leading to constructive interference and increased brightness.

Higher order diffraction maxima (n) appear at larger angles (θ) in X-ray diffraction patterns.

The angle of incidence on a prism determines the direction of the emergent ray.

A double-concave mirror has a curved surface that bulges outward on both sides. It always produces a virtual, upright, and diminished image, making objects appear smaller and farther away.

Chromatic aberration is a type of optical distortion that occurs in lenses where different wavelengths of light (colors) focus at different points, resulting in a blurry image with colored fringes.

Total internal reflection happens when light traveling in a denser medium (like water) strikes a boundary with a less dense medium (like air) at an angle greater than the critical angle. The light is then reflected back into the denser medium.

Interference occurs when two or more waves overlap. If the waves are in phase, their amplitudes add up (constructive interference) and the wave is stronger. If they are out of phase, they partially or completely cancel each other out (destructive interference).

Light bends towards the normal when entering a denser medium. The normal is a line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence.

Light speeds up when it enters a less dense medium.

Converging lenses cause parallel light rays to converge at a single point, the focal point. They are also called convex lenses.

Convex mirrors create a smaller, virtual image that appears closer than the object. They curve outwards, like the back of a spoon.

Unpolarized light has electric fields vibrating in all possible directions. A polarizer filters out all but one direction of vibration.

A converging lens, also called a convex lens, has positive power. This means it causes light rays to converge.

In most transparent materials, a higher refractive index corresponds to a higher frequency (shorter wavelength) of light. This means shorter wavelengths bend more.

In a double-slit experiment, the distance between adjacent maxima (bright fringes) is inversely proportional to the slit separation. Cutting the slit separation in half doubles the distance between the fringes.

Diffraction is the spreading of light waves as they pass through an opening or around an obstacle. The amount of diffraction depends on the size of the opening or obstacle relative to the wavelength of light.

A classic experiment demonstrating the wave nature of light. Two slits create an interference pattern on a screen. The pattern shows bright and dark bands (maxima and minima).

A diffraction grating with more lines per centimeter produces a greater dispersion, meaning the colors are spread out more.