refraction of light

1. Refraction of Light
B Y: J U A N A C H AV E Z & L I L I A N A L U N A
3rd period

2. The Objectives
●
●
R E C O G N I Z I N G S I T U AT I O N S W H E R E R E F R A C T I O N W I L L
OCCUR.
IDENTIFY WHICH DIRECTION LIGHT WILL BEND WHEN IT
PA S S E S F R O M O N E M E D I U M T O A N O T H E R .

3. Introduction
● Everyday life situations that involve refraction of light.
● How the direction of light as it passes from one medium
to another is associated with a change in velocity and
wavelength.
● Provide visual examples to help you understand how
refraction of light occurs.

4. Refraction of Light
• Refraction is the bending of a wave as it
passes at an angle from one medium into
another.
• This occurs when the light’s velocity
changes.

5. Examples
• Glass, water, ice, diamonds, and quartz
are all examples of transparent media
through which light passes through.
* Keep in mind that the speed of light in
these material is different.

6. Direction of Light
•
•
Light travels in straight lines until it encounters another
material where it is partially reflected and partially
transmitted.
The angle of the ray when transmitted through the
material changes and depends on the speed of light in
the two materials.

7. Direction of Light
•
•
As light travels through a given medium, it travels in a
straight line. However, when light passes from one
medium into a second medium, the light path bends.
Refraction occurs only at the boundary; once the light
has crossed the boundary between the two medias, it
continues to travel in a straight line. Now the direction of
that line is different than it was in the former medium.

8. For Example:
THE IMAGE
OF THE
PENCIL
APPEARS
TO
BE BROKEN.

9. Example (cont.):

10. Think about it
Refraction of light happens everywhere. Take a moment
and ask yourself:
“Why do fish look larger in the water?”
“What causes a spoon to appear bent in a glass of water?”
“Why does light travel indefinitely in an optical cable?”
And the most common question, “How are rainbows, and
mirages formed?”

11. Bibliography
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The Broken Pencil. (n.d.). The Broken Pencil. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/optics/bp.cfm
Changing the Speed of Light. (n.d.). Optics For Kids. Retrieved October
28, 2013, from
http://www.optics4kids.org/home/teachersparents/articles/the-refraction-oflight/
The Direction of Bending. (n.d.). The Direction of Bending. Retrieved October
28, 2013, from http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/refrn/U14L1e.cfm
Refractrion of Light. (n.d.). http://www.physicsclassroom.com. Retrieved
October 23, 2013, from http://www.ece.gatech.edu/academics/outreach/stepup/lesson_plans/2010/Refraction/REFRACTION-OF-LIGHT.pdf
refraction of light. (n.d.). refraction of light. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
https://www.google.com/search?q=refraction+of+light&source=lnms&tbm=is
ch&sa=X&ei=TnluUpm9FNHpkAfSroC4AQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw
=1366&bih=664#imgdii=_
Refraction and Sight. (n.d.). Refraction and Sight. Retrieved October
28, 2013, from http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/refrn/u14l1b.cfm