Section 2
Reflection, Refraction, and Dispersion
Book
Version 3
By Boundless
By Boundless
Boundless Physics
Physics
by Boundless
5 concepts
The Law of Reflection and Its Consequences
The law of reflection states that the angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence.
The Law of Refraction: Snell's Law and the Index of Refraction
The amount that a light ray changes its direction depends both on the incident angle and the amount that the speed changes.
Total Internal Reflection and Fiber Optics
Total internal reflection happens when a propagating wave strikes a medium boundary at an angle larger than a particular critical angle.
Total Polarization
Brewster's angle is an angle of incidence at which light with a particular polarization is perfectly transmitted through a surface.
Dispersion: Rainbows and Prisims
Dispersion is defined as the spreading of white light into its full spectrum of wavelengths.