Question

A diver shines an underwater searchlight at the surface of a pond (n = 1.33). At what angle (relative to the surface) will the light be totally reflected?

Answer 1

Answer:

41.2°

Explanation:

Total internal reflection is the reflection of the incident ray at the interface between two media in which one of the media has a lower refractive index than the other. It occurs when the angle of incidence in the denser medium exceeds the critical angle.

The critical angle is the angle of incidence in the denser medium when the angle of incidence in the less dense medium is 90°.

Since

n= 1/sin C

C= sin^-(1/n)

C= sin^-(1/1.33)

C= 48.8°

Hence angle of incidence= 90-48.8 = 41.2°