The critical angle for a beam of light passing from water into air is 48.8°.This means that all light rays with an angle of incidence in the water that is greater than 48.8° will be
A)totally absorbed by the water.
B)totally reflected.
C)partially reflected and partially transmitted.
D)totally transmitted.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The critical angle occurs when the angle of refraction is 90°, meaning the light ray would be traveling parallel to the boundary. At this point, no refraction occurs and the light is totally reflected at the boundary. Therefore, all light rays with an angle of incidence in the water greater than the critical angle will be totally reflected back into the water and none will be transmitted into the air. This is known as total internal reflection.

The Critical Angle for a Beam of Light Passing from Water