Name : M.

Farooq
Roll no: 014
Tutor name: Mam Madiha
Subject: Physics
Assignment: 2nd
Difference between Reflection and Refraction
There is usually a misunderstanding that occurs when anybody hears the terms reflection and
refraction. Reflection is the act of light reflecting back when it hits a medium on a plane. Refraction is
the process by which light shifts its path as it travels through a material, causing the light to bend.
Thus, this is the key difference between reflection and refraction.

Difference between Reflection and Refraction

Reflection Refraction

This phenomenon usually occurs in mirrors. This phenomenon usually occurs in lenses.

Reflection can simply be defined as the Refraction can be defined as the process of the shift of
bouncing back of light when it strikes the light when it passes through a medium leading to the
medium on a plane. bending of light.

The light entering the medium returns to the The light entering the medium travels from one medium
same medium. to another.

Considering the light waves, they bounce from During refraction, the light waves pass through the
the plane and change direction. surface while simultaneously changing both direction and
medium.

The angle of incidence of the light is equal to The angle of incidence is not equal to the angle of
the angle of reflection. refraction.

Introduction to Total Internal Reflection

The optical phenomenon of total internal reflection occurs when light is entirely
reflected at the interface between two media.
The effect happens when the incidence angle exceeds a predetermined limiting
angle, referred to as the critical angle.
Let’s take an example for more clarity.
When an incident light ray hits the interface, it is reflected and/or refracted.
A ray of light travels from a medium of water to a medium of air, and vice versa.
Light Rays will be refracted at the interface that separates the two media.
The refracted light ray bends away from the normal as it passes from a medium
with a higher refractive index to one with a lower refractive index.
The incident ray of light is refracted in such a way that it passes down the water's
surface at a given angle of incidence known as the critical angle.
The refraction angle is now 90 degrees and the incident light can reflect on the
medium if the angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle.
As a result, this phenomenon demonstrates to be a total internal reflection.

What is Total Internal Reflection?

Total internal reflection happens at a time when a light ray that travels from a
denser to a rarer medium. The ray is incident at an angle of incidence that is
greater than the critical angle. After that, the light rays are reflected in another
denser medium. It is the same medium before reflection. The entire process is
known as Total internal reflection.

When light travels between two surfaces made of transparent materials, then it
gets refracted. This is also called as the bending of light. Light or rays that come
towards or drive away from the normal have interfered. This happens due to a
change of one medium to another medium. This gives the simple definition of total
internal reflection.

When does Total Internal Reflection Take Place?

Take the example of two lights that incident at certain points from an optically
denser medium to an optically rarer medium.
The bending of light, i.e. from the normal happens under the phenomena called
refraction of light. This is a special condition where the refracted angle is more than
the incident angle.
The above statement explains that the increase in the angle of incident results in
the increment of the angle of refraction.
A point still exists where the angle of refraction becomes perpendicular. When this
happens, the refracted ray will become parallel to the interface.
The incident ray angle of the denser medium corresponding with the refracted ray
angle of the rarer medium is 90 . This is called the Total internal reflection critical
o

angle(i ).
c

That time when the ray is incident on the surface at an angle greater than the
critical angle, the ray comes back to the same medium. The entire procedure of
returning a light ray away from the denser medium is known as Total Internal
Reflection.
Explain Total Internal Reflection of Light
We have two major conditions that help us to decide the phenomenon of total
internal reflection. (TIR) is based upon. The minor change in the two conditions
may not give the appropriate result.

Total internal reflection has 2 necessary conditions such as:

(i) The light incident upon the interface of two different media should choose to
travel from a denser medium to another rarer medium.
(ii) The greater angle of incidence is necessary than the critical angle for these two
media.

The formula and Applications of Total Internal Reflection

Formula:
Snell's law determines the angle of refraction at the interface of two materials.
n1⋅sin(θ) = n2⋅sin(θ′)
Where,
n1 and n2 = Refractive indices of the two materials
θ = Incident angle of light
θ’ = The angle of refraction
So, now if suppose
 Material 1 is water (n1 = 1.3)
 Material 2 is air (n2 = 1.0)
θ’ is greater than θ as n1 > n2
θ’ becomes π /2 (i.e. 90 ) for a certain incident angle θ = θc.
o

This angle is known as the critical angle, and it may be calculated using the
following formula:
Θc = sin (n2/n1)
−1

Now, at an incident angle θ > θc, Light is completely reflected in material 1 (water)
since refracted light can no longer exist.
To make this simple just imagine if you dive into a swimming pool and attempt to
see above the surface of the water, you will be unable to see outside the water at
a shallow angle.

Applications
1. Optical fibers
Fiber optics uses total internal reflection, which has many advantages in
telecommunications. Fiber optics are light-travelling glass or plastic threads
the size of a hair.
When light contacts the core-cladding boundary at an angle of incidence
larger than the critical angle, it is refracted back into the core. As a result,
light can travel many kilometers with little energy loss.
2. Endoscope
An endoscope is a medical device used for diagnostic and surgical
procedures. It has two fiber-optic tubes in a pipe.
The light enters the patient's organ through one of the endoscope's fiber
tubes and is then reflected by the physician's viewing lens through the outer
fiber tube thus confirming total internal reflection.
3. Prisms
A few examples of optical equipment that use right-angled prisms to reflect
a light beam through 90° or 180° are as below:
Cameras, Binoculars, Periscope, and Telescope.
Apart from these instances, the total internal reflection phenomena can be
applied in a variety of other contexts and with a variety of diverse
applications.
 Practical Applications of Total Internal Reflection

1. Optical Fibre
Total internal reflection method is used in optical fibre. The inner part of the
fibre lies inside the core of the higher refractive index. All of these fibres are
surrounded by another layer of glass. They lie just beneath the lower
refractive index. A plastic jacket is there to surround the fibres.
Back to back total internal reflection occurs when the light from one end of
the core travels toward cladding, and the light propagates through it. Optical
fibres usage is quite popular among decorative table labs. They have huge
applications in the medical field for endoscopy.

2. Mirage
Mirage is also known as another name called optical illusion of water. You
must have seen this during the summer. The appearance of mirages is quite
higher in the deserts on a hot summer day.
Mirage occurs when a ray of light falls on earth by travelling from the top of
a tree or sky; it gradually deviates away from the normal. We know that total
internal reflection exists when the angle of incidence becomes greater than
the critical angle. So this generates mirage in hot deserts or any open
spaces during the hot summer.