Why does total internal reflection occur at small angles in fiber optics?

[ferrarilover2000]

Hi,
I'm new here...
I already read about how the signals are transmited through the fibre optical cables... total internal reflection

But what I don't understand is the another day I was scribbling it on a piece of paper (the total internal reflection that is)... I noticed that from the way I drew it, some had very small angles and it doesn't look like it's bigger than the criticle angle...

If that is so than the signals would have stopped right there and couldn't be transmited anymore...

Oh Me God please someone... save me!


Thanx

 

[recon]

It seems to me that you think of the critical angle as some sort of constant.

Let me just say that the critical angle is a variable and therefore is able to differ. Optical cables are structured so that even small angles are internally reflected.

 

[ferrarilover2000]

Hmmm...
Thanks for the reply recon...

So you are saying that the material for the fibre optical cables have a smaller critical angle?



Thanx :D

 

[Gonzolo]

I'm, not sure I understand how your scribbles looked. Remember that fibers have a very thin diameter and that there's a limit to how much they will bend.

The critical angle depends on what materials you use to make the fiber.