Optic

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 Introduction

 Optics is the branch of physics which is concerned with light and it’s behavioral pattern
and properties.
 Optics, in a simple manner, is used to describe the behavior of visible light, infrared light,
and ultraviolet. Imaging is done with the help of a system called an image forming an
optical system.
 Ray optics is also called geometrical optics. It is a branch of science that describes light
propagation in terms of “rays”.
•Visible Light: The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (400-700 nm) that human eyes can detect.
•Infrared Light: Wavelengths longer than visible light (>700 nm); felt as heat in sunlight
•Ultraviolet (UV) Light: Wavelengths shorter than visible light (<400 nm); can cause skin damage.
Properties of light

 Light is a form of energy that is in the form of an electromagnetic wave

and is almost everywhere around us. The visible light has wavelengths
measuring between 400–700 nano-metres. The Sun is the primary
source of light by which plants utilize this to produce their energy. The
properties of light are as follows;
 Reflection
 Refraction
 Total internal reflection
 Dispersion of light
 Reflection

 Definition:
Reflection occurs when light bounces off a surface instead of passing through it.
 Laws of Reflection:
Angle of Incidence (θi) = Angle of Reflection (θr)
 Both angles are measured from the normal (an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface).
 The incident ray, the reflected ray, and the normal all lie in the same plane.
 Types of Reflection:
Regular Reflection: Occurs on smooth surfaces like mirrors, producing a clear image.
Diffuse Reflection: Occurs on rough surfaces, scattering light in different directions (e.g., reflection
from a wall).
 Example:
 Mirror Reflection: When you look into a mirror, the light reflects off the surface at the same angle
it came in, forming a clear image.
Reflection

 Reflection is one of the primary properties of light. Reflection is nothing

but the images you see in the mirrors.
 Reflection is defined as the change in direction of light at an interface
in-between two different media so that the wave-front returns into a
medium from which it was originated.
 The typical examples for reflection of light include sound waves and
water waves.
 Refraction

 Definition:
Refraction is the bending of light when it passes from one transparent medium to another due to a
change in speed.
 Laws of Refraction (Snell’s Law):
The relationship between the angle of incidence (θi) and the angle of refraction (θr) :
• If light moves from a less dense to a denser medium, it bends toward the normal (e.g., air to
water)…angle of refraction smaller than angle of incidence
• If light moves from a denser to a less dense medium, it bends away from the normal (e.g.,
water to air)….. angle of refraction greater than angle of incidence
• If light enters a new medium perpendicularly (i.e., at 90° to the surface), it does not bend and
continues in a straight line. In this special case, θi = θr because there is no deviation in direction.
 Example:
Bent Straw in Water: When you place a straw in a glass of water, it appears bent at the water surface
due to refraction.
Refraction

 The bending of light when it passes from one medium to another is

called Refraction.
 This property of refraction is used in a number of devices like
microscopes, magnifying lenses, corrective lenses, and so on.
 In this property, when the light is transmitted through a medium,
polarization of electrons takes place which in turn reduces the speed of
light, thus changing the direction of light.
 Total Internal Reflection (TIR)

 Definition:
Total internal reflection occurs when light traveling from a denser medium to a less dense
medium is completely reflected back into the denser medium instead of passing through.
 Conditions for TIR:
• The light must be moving from a denser medium to a less dense medium (e.g., water
to air).
• The angle of incidence (θi) must be greater than the critical angle (θc).
 The critical angle is the angle of incidence at which the refracted ray just grazes along the
boundary.
 Example:
Optical Fibers: Light signals in optical fibers undergo total internal reflection, allowing data to
be transmitted efficiently over long distances.
Total Internal Reflection (TIR)

 The phenomenon which occurs when the light rays travel from a more
optically denser medium to a less optically denser medium.
 It is the phenomenon responsible for optical illusions like diamonds to
shine.
 When a beam of light strikes the water, a part of the light is reflected,
and some part of the light is refracted. This phenomenon is called as
total internal reflection.
 Critical Angle

 The formula to find the critical

angle is:

 n1 is the refractive index in

medium 1
 n2 is the refractive index in
medium 2
 Ө is the critical angle
Critical Angle

 Consider the following situation. A ray of light passes from a medium of

water to that of air.
 Light ray will be refracted at the junction separating the two media.
Since it passes from a medium of a higher refractive index to that
having a lower refractive index, the refracted light ray bends away
from the normal.
 At a specific angle of incidence, the incident ray of light is refracted in
such a way that it passes along the surface of the water. This particular
angle of incidence is called the critical angle. Here the angle of
refraction is 90 degrees.
Applications

 Diamond:
 When the incident ray falls on every face of the diamond such that the
angle formed, the ray is greater than the critical angle. The critical
value of the diamond is 23°. This condition is responsible for the total
internal reflection in a diamond which makes it shine.
 Mirage:
 It is an optical illusion that is responsible for the appearance of the
water layer at short distances in a desert or on the road. Mirage is an
example of total internal reflection which occurs due to atmospheric
refraction.
 Dispersion of Light

 Definition:
Dispersion is the splitting of white light into different colors when passing through a
medium, such as a prism or raindrop.
 Why Does Dispersion Occur?
Light consists of different wavelengths (colors), each bending by a different amount when
refracted.
 Example:
Rainbow Formation: When sunlight passes through raindrops, it disperses into different
colors, forming a rainbow.
Dispersion of Light

 It is a property of light, where the white light splits into its constituent
colors.
 Dispersion can be observed in the form of a prism. The other
properties of light include diffraction and interference.
 Diffraction:
 It occurs when light waves encounter an obstacle or a slit that is comparable in size to the
wavelength of light.
 As a result, the light bends around the edges of the obstacle or slit, spreading out in the
process.
 This behavior is more noticeable with longer wavelengths of light (like red light) and narrow
slits.
 Example: The spreading of light when it passes through a narrow opening, like a diffraction
pattern observed with a laser shining through a small slit.
 Interference:
 It is the phenomenon where two or more light waves overlap and combine, either
amplifying or canceling each other out.
 Constructive interference occurs when the waves are in phase (their crests and
troughs align), leading to an increased intensity.
 Destructive interference occurs when the waves are out of phase , leading to a
reduced intensity or complete cancellation.
 Example: The colorful patterns seen in soap bubbles or thin oil films, caused by light
interference.