Investigating Refraction Flashcards
(15 cards)
What is a ray box?
An enclosed box containing a light bulb with a thin slit for a ray of light
Used in experiments to demonstrate refraction.
What is the purpose of using a glass block in refraction experiments?
To investigate how much light is refracted at the boundary between air and glass
Light changes speed when entering different media, affecting its path.
What should you do first in the refraction experiment with a glass block?
Place the glass block on paper and trace around it
This helps to visualize the path of light relative to the block.
What is the incident ray?
The ray of light that strikes the surface of the glass block
It is essential for measuring the angle of incidence.
What is the emergent ray?
The ray of light that exits the glass block
It shows how the light path changes after passing through the block.
How do you measure the angle of incidence?
Measure the angle between the incident ray and the normal using a protractor
The normal is a line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence.
What happens to the light ray as it enters the glass block?
The ray of light bends towards the normal
This occurs because the light ray slows down in a medium with higher optical density.
What is the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of refraction?
The angle of refraction is less than the angle of incidence
This is due to the change in speed of light in different media.
What happens to the light ray as it exits the glass block?
The ray of light bends away from the normal
The light ray speeds up when moving from glass to air.
What is the significance of repeating the experiment three times?
To calculate an average for each of the angles
This increases the reliability of the results.
Fill in the blank: The angle of incidence is denoted as _______.
l
Fill in the blank: The angle of refraction is denoted as _______.
R
True or False: All electromagnetic waves can be refracted.
True
This experiment specifically uses visible light for observation.
What is the optical density of air compared to glass?
Air has one of the lowest optical densities
This causes light to slow down when entering the glass block.
What is the effect of glass on light in terms of speed?
Glass slows down light
This is why light bends when entering and exiting the glass block.
