Skip to main content
Back

Total Internal Reflection definitions

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/15

Terms in this set (15)

  • Total Internal Reflection
    Occurs when light is completely reflected within a medium, with no transmission, beyond a critical angle.
  • Critical Angle
    The minimum angle of incidence at which total internal reflection occurs, preventing light transmission.
  • Refractive Index
    A measure of how much a medium slows down light, affecting the angle of refraction.
  • Snell's Law
    Describes the relationship between angles of incidence and refraction, based on refractive indices.
  • Fiber Optics
    Cables that use total internal reflection to transmit light over long distances without energy loss.
  • Transmission
    The passage of light through a medium, which can be prevented by total internal reflection.
  • Reflection
    The bouncing back of light from a surface, which is total in total internal reflection.
  • Incident Angle
    The angle at which incoming light strikes a surface, influencing refraction and reflection.
  • Refracted Angle
    The angle of light as it passes into a different medium, changing direction due to refractive index.
  • Arc Sine
    A trigonometric function used to calculate the critical angle in total internal reflection.
  • Medium
    A substance through which light travels, affecting its speed and direction.
  • Normal
    An imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence, used in angle measurements.
  • Air
    A medium with a refractive index of approximately 1, often used in optical calculations.
  • Water
    A medium with a refractive index of approximately 1.33, affecting light transmission and reflection.
  • Trigonometry
    A branch of mathematics dealing with angles, used to calculate critical angles in optics.