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3.2 Light

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Question 121

A ray of light travels from air into a transparent glass prism. At the first boundary, it refracts. It then travels through the glass and strikes the second boundary at the critical angle, such that the refracted ray emerges along the boundary surface.

Let:

  • i i\,i be the angle of incidence at the first boundary.
  • r r\,r be the angle of refraction at the first boundary.
  • c c\,c be the critical angle at the second boundary.

Which option correctly describes how these three angles must be measured in a ray diagram?

A
  • iii is measured between the incident ray in air and the normal.
  • rrr is measured between the refracted ray in the glass and the normal.
  • ccc is measured between the ray inside the glass and the normal to the second boundary.
B
  • iii is measured between the incident ray in air and the normal.
  • rrr is measured between the refracted ray in the glass and the first boundary surface.
  • ccc is measured between the ray inside the glass and the second boundary surface.
C
  • iii is measured between the incident ray in air and the first boundary surface.
  • rrr is measured between the refracted ray in the glass and the normal.
  • ccc is measured between the ray inside the glass and the second boundary surface.
D
  • iii is measured between the incident ray in air and the first boundary surface.
  • rrr is measured between the refracted ray in the glass and the first boundary surface.
  • ccc is measured between the ray inside the glass and the normal to the second boundary.
Markscheme

3.2 Light Questions

  1. IGCSE
  2. /Physics
  3. /3.2 Light

216 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE Physics 3.2 Light, covering 3.2.1a Reflection of light, 3.2.1b Images in a plane mirror, 3.2.2 Refraction of light, 3.2.2a Refraction of light, 3.2.2b Total internal reflection, 3.2.2c Refractive index and critical angle, 3.2.2d Optical fibres, 3.2.3a Converging and diverging lenses, 3.2.3b Ray diagrams and the nature of images, 3.2.3c Virtual images and the magnifying glass, 3.2.3d Correcting long-sightedness and short-sightedness, and 3.2.4 Dispersion of light. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.

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