Question

At what minimum angle will you get total internal reflection of light traveling in water and reflected from ice? (please use refractive index n = 1.309 for ice, and 1.33 for water)

A. 45
B. 85
C. 79.8
G. 75

Answer 1

To determine the minimum angle for total internal reflection of light traveling from water to ice, we can use the formula for the critical angle. By plugging in the refractive indices of the two mediums, we find that the minimum angle is approximately 44.6°, which is closest to the option A. 45°.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the minimum angle for total internal reflection, we can use the formula for the critical angle:

θc = sin-1(n2/n1)

where n1 is the refractive index of the first medium (water) and n2 is the refractive index of the second medium (ice).

Plugging in the values, we have:

θc = sin-1(1.309/1.33)

Using a calculator, we find that the critical angle is approximately 44.6°. Therefore, the minimum angle for total internal reflection is A. 45°.