Refraction-Reflection-and-Total-Internal-Reflection-80 / 07100-0-A-BL-EN

Refraction, Reflection and Total Internal Reflection

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Description

To find out more about the diagram above . . . . read on!

Refraction, Reflection and Total Internal Reflection

Look carefully at the diagram at the top of the page. Now check out the following questions (and answers)!

About the Diagram

Introducing the diagram! Read back and forward between the image at the top of the page and the explanation below!

Have you already checked out An Introduction to Reflection, Refraction and Dispersion?

It is the opening page of our Reflection, Refraction and Dispersion Series and contains masses of useful information. This is the table of contents:

Overview

 

The diagram

  • In this diagram sunlight or artificial light travelling through water reflects upwards off the body of the fish.
  • For clarities sake,  the diagram doesn’t show light travelling towards the fish.
  • Check out our diagram dealing with the way parallel incident light rays scatter in different directions as they are reflected off the body of the fish:  Sunlight Reflects off a Fish in Water
  • Notice how the light reflected off the fish and towards the surface is incident to the boundary between water and air.
  • As the incident light strikes the surface a proportion is refracted as it crosses the boundary into the air and a proportion is reflected off the surface back into the water.
  • The diagram demonstrates the paths taken for a ray travelling parallel to the normal and striking the boundary at right angles and for rays at angles of 150, 300,  450  to the normal.
  • Notice that the amount of light that is reflected increases as the angle increases but that above 48.60 total internal reflection takes place and all the light is reflected.
  • Depending on the angle at which the light strikes the surface, different proportions are refracted or reflected.
  • The ratio of the reflected intensity to the incident intensity is called the reflectance (R) and the ratio of the transmitted intensity to the incident intensity is called the transmittance (T).  Energy conservation requires that R + T = 1 (if there is no absorption).
    • The reflectance of the surface of a material is its effectiveness at reflecting radiant energy.
    • The transmittance of the surface of a material is its effectiveness at transmitting radiant energy.

Follow the blue links for definitions . . . . or check the summaries of key terms below!

Some Key Terms

Move to the next level! Check out the following terms.

Angle of incidence

The angle of incidence measures the angle at which incoming light strikes a surface. The angle of incidence is measured ...
Read More

Angle of reflection

The angle of reflection measures the angle at which reflected light bounces off a surface. The angle of reflection is ...
Read More

Angle of refraction

The angle of refraction measures the angle to which light bends as it passes across the boundary between different media ...
Read More

Law of refraction

As light crosses the boundary between two transparent media, the law of refraction (Snell's law) states the relationship between the ...
Read More

Normal

If one line is normal to another, then it is at right angles. So in geometry, the normal is a ...
Read More

Reflection

Reflection takes place when incoming light strikes the surface of a medium, obstructing some wavelengths which bounce back into the ...
Read More

Refraction

Refraction refers to the way that electromagnetic radiation (light) changes speed and direction as it travels across the interface between ...
Read More

Wave diagram

In physics and optics, a wave diagram uses a set of drawing conventions and labels to describe the attributes of ...
Read More

More Information

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Slides

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All slides share common specifications:

  • Titles: All slides have titles.
  • Backgrounds: Black, framed with a violet gradient.
  • Size: 1686 x 1124 pixels (3:2 aspect ratio).
  • Slides are available in two file formats: JPG, AI (Adobe Illustrator).

Slides are optimized for viewing on-screen or with a projector.
Diagrams are optimized for printing on A4 pages in portrait format.

ABOUT DIAGRAMS

Diagrams

All images on the lightcolourvision.org website are available for download as either slides or diagrams.

All diagrams share common specifications:

  • Titles: No titles.
  • Backgrounds: White.
  • Size: 1686 pixels wide. So all diagrams reproduce at the same scale when inserted into Word documents etc.
  • Labels: Calibri 24pt Italic.
  • Diagrams are available in two file formats: JPG, AI (Adobe Illustrator).

Diagrams are optimized for printing on A4 pages in portrait format.
Slides are optimized for viewing on-screen or using a projector.

FILE TYPES - JPG

JPG file format

Download the image at the top of this page as a JPG file:

  • All JPG images available for download are 1686px wide.
  • Text on JPG images with white backgrounds is styled as Calibri 24pt Italic.
  • If the image you need is not exactly right, download it as an AI (Adobe Illustrator) file and edit it.
  • All the images on these Resource Pages were created in Adobe Illustrator and are vector drawings.

Did you know:

  • JPG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group who created the standard.
  • The JPG file extension is used interchangeably with JPEG.
  • JPG files can be compressed for use on websites.
  • JPG files can be placed or pasted directly into MS Office documents.

FILE TYPES - AI

AI (Adobe Illustrator) file format

Download the image at the top of this page as an AI (Adobe Illustrator) file:

  • All AI images available for download from lightcolourvision.org are 1686px wide.
  • All the images on these Resource Pages were created in Adobe Illustrator and are vector drawings.
  • Vector drawing can be scaled up or down without any loss of quality.

Did you know:

  • AI  files downloaded from lightcolourvision.org can be re-edited using Adobe Illustrator for your own personal use.
  • Adobe Illustrator can save or export AI files to other formats including PDF (.pdf), PNG (.png), JPG (.jpeg) and SVG(.svg) etc.

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Download agreement

Download Agreement

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  1. All information, images and other assets displayed or made available for download on the lightcolourvision.org website are copyright. This means there are limitations on how they can be used.
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If you are a student, educator or researcher you might also like to read our posts Copyright: Credit where credit’s due and Citation and bibliographies before copying and pasting material into essays, assignments or other academic work. They include advice on avoiding plagiarism and how to credit other people’s words, images and assets before submitting your work for marking or assessment. If you are confused, just ask a friendly teacher, librarian, or other member of academic staff.

Like to know more?

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