Calculating Delta for Red & Violet Light in a Rainbow

Lindsayyyy
Messages
215
Reaction score
0
Hi everyone

Homework Statement



Let's say we observe a rainbow. We know the refraction index of the red and violet light, let's call them n_{1}=1.46and n_{2}1.47 Now I want to calculate the angle \delta




Homework Equations



In a square the total angle is 360°, so we have:

360°= \delta+\alpha+\alpha+(360°-4\beta)

and

\delta= 4\beta-2\alpha=4arcsin(\frac {1} {n} sin\alpha)-2\alpha




The Attempt at a Solution



Thats my attempt thus far, which I wrote down in the relevant equations. I have two unkown variables, alpha and delta and I want to calculate alpha. Is there a way to calculate alpha in order to get delta?

Thanks for your help
 
Physics news on Phys.org
What angle are you trying to calculate? Maybe it's just me but it isn't clear to me what angle is in question.
 
Wow, I failed, I wanted to attach a file, sorry for that. I want to calculate delta, but I need to find alpha first and I don't know how.
 

Attachments

  • Unbenannt.JPG
    Unbenannt.JPG
    35.4 KB · Views: 447
Thread 'Need help understanding this figure on energy levels'
This figure is from "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by Griffiths (3rd edition). It is available to download. It is from page 142. I am hoping the usual people on this site will give me a hand understanding what is going on in the figure. After the equation (4.50) it says "It is customary to introduce the principal quantum number, ##n##, which simply orders the allowed energies, starting with 1 for the ground state. (see the figure)" I still don't understand the figure :( Here is...
Thread 'Understanding how to "tack on" the time wiggle factor'
The last problem I posted on QM made it into advanced homework help, that is why I am putting it here. I am sorry for any hassle imposed on the moderators by myself. Part (a) is quite easy. We get $$\sigma_1 = 2\lambda, \mathbf{v}_1 = \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ 0 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix} \sigma_2 = \lambda, \mathbf{v}_2 = \begin{pmatrix} 1/\sqrt{2} \\ 1/\sqrt{2} \\ 0 \end{pmatrix} \sigma_3 = -\lambda, \mathbf{v}_3 = \begin{pmatrix} 1/\sqrt{2} \\ -1/\sqrt{2} \\ 0 \end{pmatrix} $$ There are two ways...
Back
Top