Difference between Laws of reflection and Laws of refraction

Difference between Laws of reflection and refraction

Laws of reflection

1) The bouncing back of rays of light when it falls on optically opaque surface is known as reflection of light.

2) In reflection, incident ray and reflected ray follows certain path, gives rise to laws of reflection, refer the following fig.

3) First law states that, incident ray and reflected ray lies on opposite sides of normal, and all three (incident ray, reflected ray and normal) lies in same plane at the point of incidence.

4) Second law states that, angle of incidence is equal to angle of reflection.

5) Angle of incidence, ∠i = angle of reflection, ∠r

Laws of refraction

1) The change in the direction of light when it passes from one transparent medium to another is called as refraction of light.

2) In refraction, incident ray and reflected ray follows certain path, gives rise to laws of refraction, refer the following fig.

3) First law states that, incident ray and refracted ray lies on opposite sides of normal, and all three (incident ray, reflected ray and normal) lies in same plane at the point of incidence.

4) Second law states that, the ratio of sine of angle of incidence to angle of refraction is constant for given pair of media.

5) Angle of incidence,∠i α angle of reflection,∠r

∴ sin⁡ i / sin⁡ r = constant

The constant value is known as refractive index of medium in which refraction is takes place.

Updated: September 28, 2021 — 12:05 am

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