How Does Angle of Incidence Affect Color Reflection in Soap Films?

  • Thread starter Thread starter adc22
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Film Soap
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the reflection of light in a thin soap film with a refractive index of 1.318. When white light hits the film at normal incidence, violet light at 412 nm is constructively reflected. To determine the angle of incidence for maximum reflection of green light at 564 nm, participants utilize Snell's Law and the formula for constructive interference, specifically rewriting it as 2ndcos(beta) = (m - 1/2) lambda, where m is set to 1 for brightest reflection.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Snell's Law and its application in optics
  • Knowledge of constructive and destructive interference principles
  • Familiarity with the concept of wavelength and refractive index
  • Basic mathematical skills for manipulating equations
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the application of Snell's Law in different mediums
  • Learn about the principles of thin film interference in optics
  • Investigate the relationship between wavelength and color perception
  • Study the effects of varying film thickness on light reflection
USEFUL FOR

Students and professionals in physics, optical engineering, and materials science who are interested in the behavior of light in thin films and the principles of interference.

adc22
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
A thin soap film (n=1.318) suspended in air has a uniform thickness. When white light strikes the film at normal incidence, violet light (412 nm) is constructively reflected. At what angle of incidence will green light (564 nm) be most strongly reflected? Assume that the film as the minimum thickness that can produce these reflections.


Snell's Law?
delta = (4*pi*d*nsoap / wavelength) + pi

I am at a real loss here because I just don't know what I should be thinking. I get the difference between constructive and destructive interference, but I have not had to blend wavelengths and indices of refraction using Snell's Law.

Please advise
 
Physics news on Phys.org
You can rewrite the formula as
2ndcos(beta) = ( m - 1/2 ) lambda. Here beta is the angle of refraction. For brightest reflection m should be 1
Using the values for violet light, find the thickness of the soap film.
Using this thickness find the angle of refraction for green light. Then using Snell's law find the angle of incidence of the green light.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
4K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
7
Views
6K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
9K
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
962
Replies
1
Views
3K
Replies
2
Views
4K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K