If a laser beam passes through a rectangular glass block, what happens to the beam's direction as it exits the glass, compared to its original direction?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the refraction of light as it passes through a rectangular glass block. Specifically, it wants to know how the direction of the light beam changes after it exits the glass compared to its initial direction. We need to consider how light bends when it enters and exits a medium with a different refractive index.
Answer
The beam exits parallel to its original direction.
When a laser beam passes through a rectangular glass block, it exits parallel to its original direction but may be slightly displaced.
Answer for screen readers
When a laser beam passes through a rectangular glass block, it exits parallel to its original direction but may be slightly displaced.
More Information
The laser beam bends when entering the glass block and bends again when exiting the glass block. The amount of bending depends on the angle of incidence and the refractive indices of air and glass.
Tips
A common mistake is thinking the light ray will maintain the same path it entered on, but the ray is displaced.
Sources
- The Direction of Bending - physicsclassroom.com
- Solved 1. A light ray travels through air and then passes | Chegg.com - chegg.com
AI-generated content may contain errors. Please verify critical information
