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applestrudle
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does the incidence angle and refraction angle have to add up to 90
I'm trying to figure out the geometry of thin film refraction!
I'm trying to figure out the geometry of thin film refraction!
applestrudle said:does the incidence angle and refraction angle have to add up to 90
I'm trying to figure out the geometry of thin film refraction!
The incidence angle and the refraction angle are both related to the way light travels through different mediums. The incidence angle is the angle at which light hits a surface, while the refraction angle is the angle at which light bends as it passes through that surface.
This is because of the law of refraction, also known as Snell's law. According to this law, when light travels from one medium to another, the ratio of the sine of the incidence angle to the sine of the refraction angle is always equal to the ratio of the speed of light in the first medium to the speed of light in the second medium. When these ratios are equal, the incidence angle and refraction angle must add up to 90 degrees.
If the incidence angle and refraction angle do not add up to 90 degrees, it means that the light is not following the law of refraction and is behaving in an unexpected manner. This could be due to various factors such as the properties of the materials involved or the angle at which the light is entering the surface.
No, the law of refraction is only applicable when light travels from one medium to another. It does not apply to light traveling within the same medium or to other forms of energy.
The angle of incidence directly affects the amount of refraction. As the angle of incidence increases, the amount of refraction also increases. This is because a larger angle of incidence means that the light is hitting the surface at a more oblique angle, causing it to bend more as it enters the new medium.