University of St Andrews
School of Physics and Astronomy

2.  Ray Optics

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Associated tutorial questions (St Andrews only)

• Reflection, Refraction, and Snell's law.   n₁ sin(Q₁) = n₂ sin(Q₂)
• Examples in Total Internal Reflection, apparent depth, mirages, optical fibres
• Interactive Demonstration (Java) of refraction, reflection, and total internal reflection.  From Lightlink.
• Action of a plane mirror to form a mirror image.
  

Rainbows

We can guess that rainbows are something to do with water droplets refracting and reflecting light, but what is the origin of the coloured arc?  Why do we sometimes see two rainbows, as alongside?  Find out here.

Similar material to that presented in the lectures is available at:-

• Halliday, Resnick, & Walker - Chapters on:-  Electromagnetic Waves
• Index of refraction and Snell's law from Michigan State University

Associated tutorial questions (St Andrews only)
Return to Waves and Optics Home Page

Created by, and copyright of, Bruce Sinclair, University of St Andrews; last modified 11/09/01