Question

A ray of light strikes a flat block of glass (n = 1.48) of thickness 3.00 cm at an angle of 36.0° with the normal. Trace the light beam through the glass, and find the angles of incidence and refraction at each surface. If the angle of incidence at first surface is 36.0° (all angles are measured from the normal), determine the following angles. angle of refraction at first surface

________
angle of incidence at second surface
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angle of refraction at second surface
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Answer 1

The light beam refracts into the glass block at around 23.8°, travels through the glass at this angle, and refracts out of the glass back into air at its original angle of approximately 36° with the normal.

Step-by-step explanation:

Applying Snell's law, we can trace the light beam through glass to find the angles. The angle of refraction at the first surface is given by Sin r1 = Sin i1 / n, where i1 = 36.0° and n = 1.48 (refractive index of glass). Therefore, r1 = arcsin(Sin 36.0°/1.48) which is approximately 23.8°.

On reaching the second surface, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of refraction at first surface, i.e., i2 = r1 = 23.8°. The light then exits the glass and refracts into air such that the angle of refraction at the second surface, r2, can be calculated using Snell's law once again. Therefore, r2 = arcsin(Sin i2 * n), giving us r2 = arcsin( Sin 23.8° * 1.48), which is then back to approximately 36°, its original angle with the normal.

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