× Didn't find what you were looking for? Ask a question
Top Posters
Since Sunday
c
6
r
4
c
3
m
3
h
3
1
3
n
3
s
3
d
3
c
3
a
3
r
3
New Topic  
leeta leeta
wrote...
Posts: 24
Rep: 0 0
10 years ago
When a ray travels from air to a denser medium then what would happen to the refracted ray? Would it get refracted literally according to the snell's law Neutral Face
Read 396 times
2 Replies

Related Topics

Replies
wrote...
10 years ago
Angle of incidence is described as the angle between the incident ray and the outward-facing normal vector of the surface at the point of incidence.

A 90-degree incidence angle means the ray is parallel to the surface, so it never actually touches the second medium.
wrote...
10 years ago
Maybe part is reflected and part goes straight in, without being refracted. Perhaps the ray goes both ways a at the angle of refraction determined by snell's law.  If there is uncertainty in the 90 degree angle, it is clear that at the bounds of that uncertainty the ray will be refracted.  

However, this question is only an exercise in theory, as you will never be able to apply the model to a real world situation, there is no such thing as a "ray". Light travels in waves and particles.

I guess I don't really know. I would say that in the ideal model, it goes straight through, in real life, it refracts.
New Topic      
Explore
Post your homework questions and get free online help from our incredible volunteers
  1407 People Browsing
Related Images
  
 12224
  
 337
  
 361
Your Opinion
What's your favorite math subject?
Votes: 559