Three flat layers of transparent material are stacked upon one another.The top layer has index of refraction n₁,the middle has n₂ and the bottom one has n₃.If n₁

Question

Three flat layers of transparent material are stacked upon one another.The top layer has index of refraction n₁,the middle has n₂ and the bottom one has n₃.If n₁ < n₂ < n₃,at what angle of incidence will a ray of light traverse the three layers in a single straight line? A)θ_i = sin^-1(1/n₁) B)θ_i = sin^-1(1/(n₁+n₂+n₃) C)θ_i = tan^-1(1/(n₁+n₂+n₃) D)There is such an angle,but it is not given.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

There is such an angle, but it cannot be determined from the given information. The angle of incidence at which a ray of light will traverse the three layers in a single straight line depends not only on the indices of refraction of the three layers but also on the angles at which the light enters and exits each layer. Without this additional information, the angle of incidence cannot be calculated.

Three Flat Layers of Transparent Material Are Stacked Upon One