A ray diagram shows the ray passing from medium 1 to medium 2. After passing into medium 2, the ray bends away from the normal. What does this ray diagram illustrate? reflection…

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asked Nov 17, 2020 176k views

2 Answers

Jan Drewniak · Answer 1 · 2020-11-23T10:39:51+0000

If a ray passing from one medium to other medium then it will refract either away from normal or towards the normal

This all we can find out using snell's law

$\mu_1sin\theta_1 = \mu_2sin\theta_2$

now if we wish to find the angle inside other medium then we will have

$sin\theta_2 = (\mu_1)/(\mu_2) sin\theta_1$

now if light ray bend towards the normal then

$\mu_2 > \mu_1$

so second medium must be optical denser

otherwise if light ray is bending away from the normal then

$\mu_2 < \mu_1$

so second medium is rarer than first medium

so for the given condition of the question correct answer will be

refraction with medium 1 denser than medium 2