Which Liquid Requires More Volume to Conceal a Coin: Oil or Water?

[jakey]

Question on total reflection...if you were to conceal a coin, by putting it under a beaker whose lid is covered with foil, and you slowly add a liquid until the coin seemingly disappears, which would require a greater volume? oil or water?

 

[Volcano]

Do you mean a coin in dip of a pool? If it is, answer is oil for the same color of light. When light cross to air(minor indice) will far a way from normal. Thus come closer to distinctive surface. Much flux of indice, much far a way from normal.

 

[Moetasim]

Total Internal Reflection is a phenomenon that occurs when a light ray traveling through a dense medium, such as glass, reaches the boundary with a less dense medium, such as air, at an angle greater than the critical angle. In this case, the light is completely reflected back into the denser medium, instead of being refracted into the less dense medium. This effect is used in various applications, such as optical fibers, prisms, and mirages.

To answer the question on total reflection, if a coin is concealed by placing it under a beaker whose lid is covered with foil and then slowly adding a liquid until the coin disappears, the volume of the liquid required would depend on the refractive index of the liquid. This is because the critical angle for total internal reflection depends on the refractive indices of the two mediums involved. The greater the difference in refractive indices, the smaller the critical angle and the more likely total internal reflection will occur.

In this scenario, if the coin is placed in a beaker filled with oil, which has a lower refractive index than water, a greater volume of oil would be required to achieve total internal reflection. This is because the critical angle for oil is smaller than that of water, meaning that the light would be more likely to be reflected back into the oil instead of being refracted into the air, making the coin appear to disappear.

In contrast, if the coin is placed in a beaker filled with water, which has a higher refractive index than oil, a smaller volume of water would be required to achieve total internal reflection. This is because the critical angle for water is larger than that of oil, making it less likely for total internal reflection to occur.

In conclusion, the volume of liquid required to achieve total internal reflection and conceal the coin would depend on the refractive index of the liquid. A liquid with a higher refractive index, such as water, would require a smaller volume compared to a liquid with a lower refractive index, such as oil.