Index of Refraction: Solving a Problem

[Shackleford]

I'm not understanding how to setup/pictorialize this problem. I've done several very simple problems determining the index of refraction, but I'm confused on this one for some reason.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/camarolt4z28/Untitled.png

 

[Shackleford]

Is the light bouncing off the scratch and entering the microscope?

Is the light going through the scratch and out the other side of the plate and then into the microscope?

??

 

[PeterO]

Is the light bouncing off the scratch and entering the microscope?

Is the light going through the scratch and out the other side of the plate and then into the microscope?

??

Seems like you are looking at the scratch directly in one case, and the reflection of the scratch formed by the back surface the next time, perhaps

 

[Shackleford]

Why was this moved? This is part of the review in my junior-level Modern Optics class.

 

[Shackleford]

The professor said,

"Assume light will come up from bottom and you can represent the scratch by a point on the surface."

 

[Shackleford]

This is my guess as to what's happening. I'm sure it's wrong.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/camarolt4z28/IMG_20110830_185731.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n149/camarolt4z28/IMG_20110830_185720.jpg