What is total internal reflection? State the conditions on which it depends?
Using Snell’s LAw: n1*sin theta1=n2*sin theta2 where n refers to the index of the refraction of each medium and theta1 is the angle of incidence, which is the angle made between the ray and a vertical line perpendicular to the medium, and theta2 is the angle of refraction, which is the angle made by the ray in medium two to the line perpendicular to the medium. Since a ray that is internally reflected will make an angle that is, at minimum, 90 degrees (since that will be a line that is parallel to the second medium, i.e. the medium interface, we simplify Snell’s Law as: n1*sin theta=n2*sin 90, but sin of 90 =1, so n1*Sin theta=n2*1 This simplifies to: Sin theta [critical angle]=n2/n1. This is the minimum angle of incidence to yield total internal reflection. Any angle of incidence greater than this will also yield total internal reflection. An interesting point here is that in order for total internal reflection to occur, the first medium must have an index of refraction, n, that is gr
