Why Does Total Internal Reflection Not Occur at the Oil-Water Interface?

AI Thread Summary
Total internal reflection does not occur at the oil-water interface due to the refractive indices involved; the oil has a higher refractive index (n = 1.6) than water (n = 1.33). The critical angle for total internal reflection is calculated using the formula sin(theta_critical) = n2/n1, which is not applicable here since the light is transitioning from a denser medium (oil) to a less dense medium (water). Attempts to apply Snell's law at both interfaces reveal that no incident angle can achieve total internal reflection at the oil-water boundary. The conclusion is that total internal reflection is not possible at this interface, confirming that the critical angle does not exist under these conditions. Understanding these principles is essential for solving related optics problems.
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Homework Statement


Consider a layer of oil assume n = 1.6 about 5 mm thick floating over a body of water n = 1.33. If a light ray is obliquely incident from air onto the oil surface find the range of incidence angles if any that results in total internal reflection at the oil water interface.


Homework Equations



sin(theta_critical) = n2/n1 when n1 > n2

The Attempt at a Solution


My first attempt would be to say that theta_crit = arcsin(1.33/1.6). However, that is incorrect.

My professor said to use snells law and consider each interface.

1*sin(theta_incident) = 1.6 * sin(theta_2)
n2*sin(theta_2) = n3 * sin(theta_3)
1.6*sin(theta2) = sin(theta_i)/1.33 = sin(theta_3)
However, I can't seem to get anything useful out of this...

The answer is that there is no incident angle that would found. I can see that for the air-oil interface 1.6/1 wouldn't have any critical angle, but why does the oil-water interface not have one as well?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Find the critical angle between oil-water interface.
Taking this as the angle of refraction in the air-oil interface find the sine of angle of incidence.
 
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