Refraction of Light: Is There No Refraction?

AI Thread Summary
When light transitions between air and water, refraction typically occurs, altering its direction. If the light is traveling parallel to the normal, the angle of refraction is indeed 0 degrees, meaning there is no change in direction. This situation leads to the conclusion that the sine of the angle is zero, confirming no refraction takes place. The discussion highlights the specific conditions under which refraction is absent. Understanding these principles is essential for comprehending light behavior at different interfaces.
AkshayPitt
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
I understand that when light goes between air and water, refraction occurs (either towards or away from the normal). If the light going between air and water is already going in the same direction as the normal, is there no refraction (or a refraction angle of 0 degrees)?

Thank you.
 
Science news on Phys.org
AkshayPitt said:
same direction as the normal
What is the sin of zero?
 
sin(0) = 0

Thanks a lot for your help!
 
Thread 'A quartet of epi-illumination methods'

Thread 'A quartet of epi-illumination methods'

Well, it took almost 20 years (!!!), but I finally obtained a set of epi-phase microscope objectives (Zeiss). The principles of epi-phase contrast is nearly identical to transillumination phase contrast, but the phase ring is a 1/8 wave retarder rather than a 1/4 wave retarder (because with epi-illumination, the light passes through the ring twice). This method was popular only for a very short period of time before epi-DIC (differential interference contrast) became widely available. So...
View full post »

Thread 'Effective absorption coefficient of gold nanoparticles'

I am currently undertaking a research internship where I am modelling the heating of silicon wafers with a 515 nm femtosecond laser. In order to increase the absorption of the laser into the oxide layer on top of the wafer it was suggested we use gold nanoparticles. I was tasked with modelling the optical properties of a 5nm gold nanoparticle, in particular the absorption cross section, using COMSOL Multiphysics. My model seems to be getting correct values for the absorption coefficient and...
View full post »

Similar threads

Critical angle (symmetry of refraction) confusion
Replies
5
Views
2K
B Shouldn't the refracted ray be along the boundary here?
Replies
5
Views
2K
Refraction of Light: Myth or Reality?
Replies
41
Views
4K
I Prism Spectrometer Objective: Optics Question
Replies
9
Views
2K
Calculating the degree of polarization of reflecting light
Replies
2
Views
2K
I Light Refraction, Biconvex Lens, Diagram Help
Replies
9
Views
3K
Property of Light: Refraction & Angle of Bending
Replies
4
Views
1K
Optics: Huygens' principle and bending of light
Replies
2
Views
2K
Does Snell's Law accurately explain light refraction in water?
Replies
17
Views
2K
Refraction of light when traveling from air to glass
Replies
6
Views
1K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top