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

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the conditions for total internal reflection at the oil-water interface, specifically with oil having a refractive index of 1.6 and water 1.33. The critical angle is calculated using Snell's Law, but it is established that total internal reflection does not occur at the oil-water interface due to the refractive index relationship. The critical angle for the oil-water interface is not achievable, confirming that no incident angle results in total internal reflection in this scenario.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Snell's Law and its application in optics.
  • Knowledge of refractive indices and their significance in light behavior.
  • Familiarity with the concept of critical angles in total internal reflection.
  • Basic principles of light refraction at different media interfaces.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation and applications of Snell's Law in various media.
  • Explore the concept of critical angles and total internal reflection in different materials.
  • Investigate the optical properties of oil and water, focusing on their refractive indices.
  • Examine practical examples of light behavior at liquid-liquid interfaces in optics.
USEFUL FOR

Students studying optics, physics educators, and anyone interested in the principles of light behavior at interfaces, particularly in fluid dynamics and optical applications.

roeb
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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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