Describe an experimental method to determine the refractive index of the plastic block using a ray box, a protractor, and a sheet of paper. Your description should include:

what measurements to take and how to record the paths of the light rays,
how to obtain a reliable range of results,
how to use a graph to find the refractive index.

[6]

Light and sound Questions

IGCSE
Physics
Light and sound

IGCSE
Physics Edexcel
Question bank

Light and sound

Easy Medium Hard

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66

Question 39

A student is investigating the refraction of light as it passes from air into a rectangular plastic block.

What is meant by the term refraction?

[1]

The diagram below shows a ray of light travelling from air into the plastic block.

A ray of light traveling from air into a rectangular plastic block.

Describe the position of: the angle of incidence, $i$

[1]

the angle of refraction, $r$

[1]

State the equation linking refractive index ( $n$ ), angle of incidence ( $i$ ), and angle of refraction ( $r$ ).

[1]

Describe an experimental method to determine the refractive index of the plastic block using a ray box, a protractor, and a sheet of paper. Your description should include:

what measurements to take and how to record the paths of the light rays,
how to obtain a reliable range of results,
how to use a graph to find the refractive index.

[6]

Light and sound Questions

IGCSE
Physics
Light and sound