A glass block with an index of refraction of 1.7 is immersed in an unknown liquid. A ray of light inside the block undergoes total internal reflection as shown in the figure. Which one of the following relations best indicates what may be concluded concerning the index of refraction of the liquid, n_L? A)n_L

Question

A glass block with an index of refraction of 1.7 is immersed in an unknown liquid. A ray of light inside the block undergoes total internal reflection as shown in the figure. Which one of the following relations best indicates what may be concluded concerning the index of refraction of the liquid, n_L? A)n_L< 1.0 B)n_L $\ge$ 1.1 C)n_L$\ge$ 1.3 D)n_L $\le$ 1.1 E)n_L$\le$ 1.3

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The given situation involves total internal reflection, which occurs when the angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle. The critical angle is the angle at which the refracted angle is 90 degrees, and it can be calculated using the equation sin(theta_c) = n_2/n_1, where n_1 is the refractive index of the material the light is coming from and n_2 is the refractive index of the material the light is entering. In this case, the critical angle is within the glass block, and the light is entering an unknown liquid. Since the angle of incidence within the glass block is unknown, we cannot directly calculate the refractive index of the liquid using the critical angle equation. However, we know that total internal reflection can only occur when the refractive index of the liquid is less than that of the glass block (n_2 < n_1). Therefore, we can conclude that nS1U1B1LS1U1B0S1U1B1 (the refractive index of the liquid) is less than nS1U1B1 (the refractive index of the glass block) and also less than 1.7. The only answer option that reflects this conclusion is E.

A Glass Block with an Index of Refraction of 1 ≥\ge≥

A Glass Block with an Index of Refraction of 1 $\ge$