FAKULTI TEKNOLOGI DAN KEJURUTERAAN

MEKANIKAL
UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

TECHNICAL PHYSICS

BERE 1013 SEMESTER 1 SESI 2024/2025

LAB 5: SNELL’S LAW

NO. STUDENTS' NAME MATRIC. NO.

1.

2.

3.

PROGRAMME

SECTION /
GROUP

DATE

1.
NAME OF
INSTRUCTOR(S)
2.

EXAMINER’S COMMENT(S) TOTAL MARKS

Rev. Date Author(s) Description
No.

1.0 25 Okt 1. Ts. Fakhrullah bin Idris 1. New Laboratory Sheet

2023 2. Najmiah Radiah binti
Mohamad
1.0 OBJECTIVES

1. To construct the optical system and explain the rules of reflection using a light
source, a plane mirror, a concave mirror and a convex mirror.
2. To demonstrate and calculate the refraction index and critical angle of a medium
using Snell’s Law.
3. To observe the total internal reflection of a medium.

Safety Warning:
 DO NOT TOUCH THE HALOGEN LAMP WITH BARE FINGERS.
 DO NOT STORE THE LIGHT BOX WITH IT IS STILL HOT

2.0 EQUIPMENT:

1. Light box
2. Filters & Diaphragms (1 slit & blank)
3. Optical Elements (Plane mirror, Adjustable concave/convex mirror, semi-circular
prism & flat-convex lens)
4. Compass Rose

3.0 SYNOPSIS & THEORY

Light exhibits both wave-like and particle-like behavior, a phenomenon known as

wave-particle duality. This duality is a fundamental concept in quantum physics, and it
means that light can behave as both a wave and a stream of particles called photons. Light
travels in a straight line through a uniform and isotropic (such as air, water, or a vacuum)
medium in the absence of any obstacles or disturbances. Light energy is emitted by
various sources such as stars, light bulbs, lasers, and hot objects. Sun – which is also a
star – transmits light energy to Earth. The Sun is a natural source of light energy. The light
box, as shown in Figure 1, can be used as a source of light energy because it is
inexpensive and easy to maintain.

Figure 1: Light Box

Transparent materials are typically used to allow light to pass through. However,
when combined with optical elements as in Figure 2, it can be used to manipulate light
rays. In order to harness light rays for our purposes, a lens can be used to focus light
energy, a mirror can reflect light and a prism can demonstrate refraction depending on
the incident angle. These have been instrumental in enabling nanoscale technologies
like fiber optic communications.

Figure 2: Adjustable concave/convex mirror, Plane mirror and semi-circular prism

Reflection
Light reflects from a mirror’s surface in a systematic predictable way. Light’s angles
of incidence and angle of reflection are equal when measured from the normal, the
imaginary line perpendicular to the mirror’s surface.

Refraction
The key to refraction lies in the wave behavior of light. Familiarity with wave mechanics is
essential to understanding refraction. As the wave front crosses the boundary from a less-dense
medium to a more-dense medium, it slows down as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Refraction of Wave Across Two Different Mediums

Index of Refraction
The slowing down and bending of the light is predictable given a few parameters. Every
optically transparent material has a refractive index. The refractive index (n) is a unitless number
defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum (c) to the speed of light in a particular
medium (v) (known as the phase velocity). The equation for this relationship looks like this:

c
n=
v

For example, light travels 1.33 times slower in water than it does in a vacuum, so the refractive
index is 1.33.

Snell’s Law

Figure 4

The law of refraction can be used to describe the relationship between the angles
of incidence and angles of refraction when lights penetrate two mediums with different
refractive indexes. Snell’s law or the law of refraction can be written as:

ni sin θi=¿ nr sin θr ¿

The value for the index of refraction of Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or acrylic is
1.49.

Critical angle, θC
If the angle of incidence is too great, the incident ray will reflect off the
boundary between the two materials. The highest angle of incidence where light is
not reflected is called the critical angle. In the mathematical terms of Snell’s law,
this occurs when the sine of the refracted angle equals 1. This of course is when
the refracted angle is at 90 degrees. The critical angle can be defined as:

θc ¿ sin
−1
( )
nr
ni
Critical angle applies in situations where the incident ray is traveling from a
denser medium (higher refractive index) to a less-dense medium (lower refractive
index).

Figure 5: Critical Angle and Total Internal Reflection

Total Internal Reflection

When the critical angle is passed, and the incident ray does not pass through
the barrier but reflects back into the denser medium. This is called total internal
reflection.

4.0 PROCEDURE

Part A: Reflection

1. Place the light box in the desired position.

2. Insert flat-convex lens and slit card with narrow slits (1.28 mm) one slit, into the
appropriate slots on the light box. At the other end, insert a slit card to block lights
from coming out.
3. Plug the light box power supply into an AC outlet. Plug the power supply adapter
into the socket on the top of the light box.
4. When switching on, ensure the lamp illuminates and the built-in fan spins. Switch off
light box if the fan stops working.
5. Set up the plane mirror on the center of the compass rose so the zero-degree line is
perpendicular to the mirror.
6. Project light to the center of compass rose from 45⁰ angle.
7. Record the angle of incidence, θi and the angle of reflection, θr
8. Repeat the experiment using different angle of incidence, θi
9. Repeat step 5-8 using the adjustable concave/convex mirror.
10. Record all data in table 1.

Part B: Refraction

1. Set up the semi-circular prism on the center of the compass rose.

2. Place the flat side of the semi-circular prism along the line perpendicular to the
incident ray, facing the light box along the 90⁰ line.
3. Project light to the center of compass rose along zero-degree line from 0⁰ angle.
4. Rotate the light box to any angle.
5. Record the angles of incidence and refraction from the compass.

Part C: Critical Angle and Total Internal Reflection

1. Set up the semi-circular prism on the center of the compass rose.
2. Place the flat side of the semi-circular prism along the line perpendicular to the
incident ray, facing away the light box.
3. Project light to the center of compass rose along zero-degree line from 0⁰ angle.
4. Move the light box around and watch as the refracted ray (acrylic to air) moves
farther away from the normal. Make sure the rays are always focused on the center
of the compass rose.
5. Identify reflection and refraction rays on the compass rose. Observe and
6. Stops moving light box, when the critical angle has been reached (some aberration
can be seen at 90 degrees from the normal) Record the angle of incidence (Critical
Angle), when the phenomenon appears clearly.
7. Move the light box further to observe the phenomenon of total internal reflection
Record the angle of incidence when the phenomenon appears clearly.

5.0 EXPERIMENT DATA AND RESULT

Part A: Reflection

Table 1: Angle of Reflection

Angle of Incidence, Angle of Reflection,
Mirror Type Measurements θi (⁰) θr (⁰)
1
Plane Mirror 2
3
Concave Mirror 1
Convex Mirror 1

Part B: Refraction

Table 2: Angle of refraction

Angle of Incidence, θi Angle of Refraction,
Measurements θr (⁰)
(⁰)
1
2
3
Part C: Critical Angle and Total Internal Reflection

Table 3: Critical Angle

Measurement Degree (⁰)
Critical Angle
Total Internal Reflection

6.0 QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS

1. Discuss the relationship between the angle of incidence, θi and the angle of
reflection, θr in equation and words.

2. Sketch the focal points of the concave and convex mirror on the paper behind the
compass rose. Explains the relationship between the focal point and the radius of
these mirrors.

3. For Part B, illustrate one measurement of the light propagation on the compass
rose. Calculate the index of refraction for the acrylic prism using Snell’s law for the
three measurements and the average value.

4. For Part C, calculate the critical angle for the acrylic prism using Snell’s law. Please
use the average value of the refraction index from your measurements.

5. For Part B, determine the percentage error of index of refraction for the acrylic
prism between measurement and theoretical value.

measurement−theoretical value
Error ( % )= × 100
theoritical value

7.0 CONCLUSION

State your conclusion of this experiment.