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Total Internal Reflection

06 Feb Total Internal Reflection

Physics tuition classes in Miracle Learning Centre is easy to understand and help you to improve in your grades. If you do not understand physics, you must definitely attend the physics tuition class at Miracle Learning Centre. Let us learn about total internal reflection in this physics tuition lesson.

When ray of light passes from an optically denser to a less dense medium, the ray of light bends away from normal. We also know that as the angle of incidence is increased further, the angle of refraction also increases further.

This will continue to happen, until for a certain value of angle of incidence, called the critical angle, the refracted ray grazes along the boundary separating the two media (like glass and air). That means the angle of refraction is 90 degrees.

If the angle of incidence is increased any further beyond the critical angle, the refracted ray, reflect in accordance with laws of reflection. Thus angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

This phenomenon, where after a certain value of angle of incidence, instead of refracting, the light rays reflect back into the first medium, is known as total internal reflection.

Total Internal Reflection is a very efficient reflection, as the loss of light energy is almost negligible.

The student at Miracle Learning Centre asked, “What are the uses of total internal reflection?”

The physics tuition teacher at Miracle Learning Centre replied,”In fiber optics, light is made to pass through a pipe made of a dense material like glass or plastic, thus having a high refractive index. This tube is surrounded by a less dense material with lesser refractive index.

Thus, if the light signal traveling through the tube strikes the sides at an angle greater than critical angle, it will undergo total internal reflection. Thus the light signal will stay bounded within. If the optical fiber is made of a flexible material, light, while keeping it bounded within light can be made to “bend” round the corners.

In this way, light can be used as carrier of signals.”

In telecommunications and medicine, optical fibres are used extensively. In the telecommunication field they are used as an alternative signal carrier to copper wires in the telephone system. They are used to carrier digital signals in the form of light pulses over long distances.

Miracle Learning Centre would like to bring you more articles on Physics tuition concepts. We hope you have understood total internal reflection. Do come to Miracle Learning Centre for more physics tuition lessons to learn more about total internal reflection and physics.

Physics classes of Miracle Learning Centre are extraordinary, filled with fun, exciting yet enriching. Within just a few months be assured to easily increase your marks and have a better understanding of the subject. Try out our classes of A level physics tuition, O level physics tuition, JC physics tuition in Singapore today.