At what angle does the light leave the glass

In summary, the problem involves a rectangular block of glass with an index of refraction of 1.52 surrounded by a liquid with an index of refraction of 1.79. A ray of light is incident on the glass at point A with a 30.0° angle of incidence. Using Snell's law, the angle of refraction at point A can be calculated to be 53.13 degrees. However, in order to determine the angle of refraction at point B, Snell's law must be applied again, taking into account the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction at the two points.
  • #1
phys62
53
0

Homework Statement


The drawing shows a rectangular block of glass (n = 1.52) surrounded by a liquid with n = 1.79. A ray of light is incident on the glass at point A with a 30.0° angle of incidence. At what angle does the ray leave the glass at point B?

http://edugen.wiley.com/edugen/courses/crs1507/art/qb/qu/c26/ch26p_18.gif


Homework Equations


n1*sin(theta1)=n2*sin(theta2)


The Attempt at a Solution


I solved this and got the right answer by doing the steps below, however I have no idea why I put 1 in the denominater, and this is not the correct way to solve it because my friend's problem is not working out. Please help me figure out the proper way to solve this, as I've tried everything I can think of!

sin(theta2) = (1.6 sin30)/1 = 53.13 degrees
 
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  • #2
Hi phys62! :wink:
phys62 said:
sin(theta2) = (1.6 sin30)/1 = 53.13 degrees

Where did 1.6 come from? :confused:

Show us your full calculations, and then we'll know how to help. :smile:
 
  • #3
You need to apply Snell's law twice: Once at A; once at B. And you need to relate the angle of refraction at A to the angle of incidence at B.
 

1. What is the angle of refraction when light passes through glass?

The angle of refraction when light passes through glass depends on the angle of incidence, the refractive index of the glass, and the angle of the surface of the glass.

2. How does the angle of incidence affect the angle of refraction?

The angle of incidence is the angle at which light enters the glass. The greater the angle of incidence, the greater the angle of refraction.

3. What is the refractive index of glass?

The refractive index of glass is a measure of how much light is bent when it passes through the material. The refractive index of glass varies depending on the type of glass, but is typically between 1.4 and 1.7.

4. Does the angle of refraction change when light passes through different types of glass?

Yes, the angle of refraction can change when light passes through different types of glass. This is because different types of glass have different refractive indices.

5. How does the shape of the glass affect the angle of refraction?

The shape of the glass can affect the angle of refraction because the angle of incidence and the angle of the surface of the glass can change depending on the shape. This can result in different angles of refraction.

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