What is meant by the critical angle?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for an explanation of the concept of the critical angle, which is crucial in optics. It typically involves understanding how light behaves when passing from one medium to another, specifically when total internal reflection occurs.
Answer
The angle of incidence for which the angle of refraction is 90 degrees.
The final answer is: The critical angle is the angle of incidence for which the angle of refraction is 90 degrees.
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is: The critical angle is the angle of incidence for which the angle of refraction is 90 degrees.
More Information
Beyond the critical angle, total internal reflection occurs when light travels from a denser medium to a rarer medium.
Tips
A common mistake is to confuse the critical angle with other angles like the angle of incidence or angle of refraction; remember it specifically relates to the incidence angle producing a 90-degree refraction angle.
Sources
- What Is Critical Angle? - BYJU'S - byjus.com
- The Critical Angle - Physics Tutorial - physicsclassroom.com
- Critical angle | Reflection, Refraction & Total Internal ... - Britannica - britannica.com
