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

Refraction, Reflection and Total Internal Reflection

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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)!

  1. What happens when light undergoes refraction?
  2. When light strikes a surface, is the angle of incidence always the same as the angle of reflection?
  3. What is total internal reflection?
  4. Does diffusion cause light to scatter in different directions?
  5. What is reflectance?

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:

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 ...
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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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