SHS

General Physics 2
Quarter 4: Week 3 - Module 3
Total Internal Reflection
General Physics 2
Grade 12 Quarter 4: Week 3 - Module 3: Total Internal Reflection
First Edition, 2021

Copyright © 2021
La Union Schools Division
Region I

All rights reserved. No part of this module may be reproduced in any form
without written permission from the copyright owners.

Development Team of the Module

Author: MARTIN GREGOR D. ALLADA

Editor: SDO La Union, Learning Resource Quality Assurance Team

Illustrator: Ernesto F. Ramos Jr., P II

Management Team:

Atty. Donato D. Balderas, Jr.

Schools Division Superintendent

Vivian Luz S. Pagatpatan, Ph.D

Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

German E. Flora, Ph.D, CID Chief

Virgilio C. Boado, Ph.D,EPS in Charge of LRMS

Rominel S. Sobremonte, Ed.D, EPS in Charge of Science

Michael Jason D. Morales, PDO II

Claire P. Toluyen, Librarian II
 Target

You have learned in the previous modules that electricity and

magnetism can be both static. But when they charge or move together they
produce a wave known as electromagnetic wave, which is the combination of
electric and magnetic fields. In this module, you will learn specific properties
of EM wave to include the concept of optics.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1) relate the properties of EM wave (wavelength, frequency, speed) and the

properties of vacuum and optical medium (permittivity, permeability,
and index of refraction) (STEM_GP12OPTIVb-12);
2) explain the conditions for total internal reflection (STEM_GP12OPTIVb-
14);
3) explain the phenomenon of dispersion by relating to Snell’s Law
(STEM_GP12OPTIVb-16); and
4) explain polarization of light.
 Jumpstart

Directions: Read carefully each item. Write only the letter of the best
Answer in a separate sheet of paper.

______1. Which light bends most when white light passes through a prism?
A. red B. blue C. green D. violet

______2. Which of the following color has the longest wavelength?

A. yellow B. red C. blue D. green

______3. What do you call the bending of light rays as they pass obliquely
from one medium to another medium?
A. reflection B. refraction C. dispersion D. diffraction

______4. What type of reflection does fiber optic technology rely upon?
A. Regular reflection B. Diffuse reflection
C. Retroreflection D. Total internal reflection

______5. What will be the arrangement of electromagnetic waves if we will

arrange them according to decreasing energy?
A. Gamma, radio, microwave
B. X-ray, gamma, ultraviolet
C. X-ray, light, radio
D. Gamma, ultraviolet, X-ray
 Discover

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Remember that when a charged particle moves, an electric current is

produced. The produced electric current is always surrounded by a magnetic
field.
If the electric charges move back and forth, the direction of the current
will change just as the charge changes its direction. As a consequence, the
direction of the magnetic field will also change. According to Faraday’s law, a
changing magnetic field generates an electric field. In Maxwell’s work, he
made a counterpart to Faraday’s law by stating that an oscillating electric field
produces an oscillating magnetic field. The vibrating electric and magnetic
fields produce and reproduce each other to generate an electromagnetic wave
that emanates from the vibrating charge.
Studies have shown that electromagnetic waves are composed of
varying frequencies, especially when observed from a vacuum. Hence,
electromagnetic waves are presented as an electromagnetic spectrum as
shown in the figure on the next page.
 Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org

As shown from the figure, the electromagnetic spectrum extends from

the longest wavelengths of radio waves up to the high frequencies of gamma
rays. This arrangement strengthens the inverse relationships between
frequency and wavelength, wavelength and energy, and direct relationship
between frequency and energy.
Each type of wave occupies a particular range of wavelength known as
band. Arranged in increasing frequency, EM waves follow the following order:
radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-
rays, and gamma rays.
Region Frequency Wavelength Energy Speed Size scale
(Hz) (m) (J) (m/s)
Radio < 3x109 > 1x10-1 < 2x10-24 Mountains
waves
Microwaves 3x109 to 1x10-3 to 2x10-24 to
3x101 1x10-1 2x10-22
Infrared 3x1011 to 7x10-7 to 2x10-22 to
4x1014 1x10-3 3x10-19
Visible 4x1014 to 4x10-7 to 3x10-19 to 3x108 Bacteria
light 7.5x1014 7x10-7 5x10-19
Ultraviolet 7.5x1014 to 1x10-8 to 5x10-19 to Viruses
3x1016 4x10-7 2x10-17
X-ray 3x1016 to 1x10-11 to 2x10-17 to Atoms
3x1019 1x10-8 2x10-14
Gamma ray > 3x1019 < 1x10-11 > 2x10-14 Nuclei
Refraction of Light
A rock falls at different speeds through different liquids such as water,
oil, milk, and syrup. The speed of the falling marble depends on the density
and viscosity of the liquid.
Light also travels at different speeds through different media such as
air, glass, and water. The speed of light depends on the optical density of the
medium. The optical density of a material is a property related to the speed of
light through it. The greater the optical density of the material, the slower is
the speed of light traveling through it.
When light crosses over from one medium to another, it changes not
only its speed but also its direction. When a light ray enters a glass cube, it
bends instead of traveling along its original straight line path. The bending of
light as it crosses over from one medium to another is called refraction.
The Dutch scientist Willebrand Snell performed several experiments to
investigate the refraction of light. His findings can be summed up in a
principle known as Snell’s law, which states that the ratio of the sine of the
angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is a constant. This ratio
or constant, known as the refractive index (n), expressed mathematically as

n = sin i
sin r or n1θ i= n2θr

where i is the angle of incidence in the first medium and r is the angle
of refraction in the second medium; (n1) is the index of refraction of the first
medium and (n2) is the index of refraction of the second medium.

Speed and index of refraction of various materials

Material Speed (m/s) Index of refraction (n)
Vacuum 3x108 1.00
Air 3x108 1.0003
Ice 2.29x108
Glass 1.97x108 1.61
Water 1.33
Diamond 2.42
Total Internal Reflection

Photo credit: https://byjus.com/physics/total-internal-reflection/

Consider the following situation. A ray of light passes from a

medium of water to that of air. Light ray will be refracted at the junction
separating the two media. Since it passes from a medium of a higher refractive
index to that having a lower refractive index, the refracted light ray bends
away from the normal.
At a specific angle of incidence, the incident ray of light is
refracted in such a way that it passes along the surface of the water. This
particular angle of incidence is called the critical angle. Here the angle of
refraction is 90 degrees. When the angle of incidence is greater than the
critical angle, the incident ray is reflected back to the medium. We call this
phenomenon total internal reflection.

Conditions of total internal reflection:

1) The light ray moves from a more optically dense medium approaches a
less optically dense medium (e.g., water-air).
2) The angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle.
Dispersion of Light

Photo credit: https://www.teachoo.com/10869/3123/Dispersion-of-

light-by-prism/category/Concepts/

When light passes through a prism, it breaks up into an array of several

different colors called a spectrum. This breaking up and spreading out of the
beam of light is called dispersion or chromatic dispersion.
Examine closely the light rays going through the prism and you will see
how each color refracts by varying degrees. Red light is bent least from the
original straight line path of white light while violet light is bent the most.
Dispersion occurs in nature through the interaction of sunlight and
water droplets. Sunlight goes in and out of the suspended water droplets in
the air. They act as prisms and refract sunlight into several different colors.
The result is one of the most beautiful sights in nature – a rainbow.
Note: Any light that gives a spectrum similar to that of sunlight is often referred
to as white light.
Polarization of Light

Photo credit: https://byjus.com/physics/polarization-of-light/

Light is the interaction of electric and magnetic fields travelling through

space. The electric and magnetic vibrations of a light wave occur
perpendicularly to each other. The electric field moves in one direction and
magnetic in another though always perpendicularly. So, we have one plane
occupied by an electric field, the magnetic field perpendicular to it, and the
direction of travel which is perpendicular to both. These electric and magnetic
vibrations can occur in numerous planes. A light wave that is vibrating in
more than one plane is known as unpolarized light. The light emitted by the
sun, by a lamp or a tube light are all unpolarized light sources. As you can
see in the image above, the direction of propagation is constant, but the plane
on which the amplitude occurs is changing.
The other kind of wave is a polarized wave. Polarized waves are light
waves in which the vibrations occur in a single plane. Plane polarized light
consists of waves in which the direction of vibration is the same for all waves.
In the image above, you can see that a plane polarized light vibrates on only
one plane. The process of transforming unpolarized light into the polarized
light is known as polarization. The devices like the purple blocks (polaroids)
you see are used for the polarization of light.

Polarization Applications
Following are the applications of polarization:

• Polarization is used in sunglasses to reduce the glare.

• Polaroid filters are used in plastic industries for performing stress
analysis tests.
 Explore

Can You Remember?

Direction: Answer the questions comprehensively and concise. Use a
separate sheet of paper for your answer.

1) State Snell’s law.

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

2) Explain the dispersion of light.

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

3) Which has a greater optical density, water or air? When light crosses
over from water to air, does it bend towards or away from the normal?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

4) Explain the phenomenon called total internal reflection?

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

5) How does polarization reduce glare?

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
 Deepen

Performance Tasks

A. Poet/Composer/Artist: Launch an art exhibit that focuses on light. To

synchronize the materials, the theme “Life without light” shall be
considered in the poems, songs, paintings, or photographs that they
will be submitting for the event.

B. Biologists: Light can be produced through incandescence and

luminescence. Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light
by a living organism. Its name is a hybrid word, originating from the
Greek word bios which mean “living,” and the Latin word lumen which
means “light”. Collect at least ten pictures or video clips of organisms
that possess the ability (bioheminescence). During the presentation,
discuss the habitat of the organisms, chemicals involved, and the
chemical reactions responsible for the bioluminescence. Explain the
benefits of this phenomenon to the stated organisms.

C. Devise or create an activity about EM wave, total internal reflection, and

dispersion of light or polarization of light. Include the following to your
report: objective, material, procedure, questions, and conclusion.
 Gauge

Directions: Read carefully each item. Write only the letter of the best
answer. Use a separate sheet of paper for your answers.

A. Multiple Choices Test (5 points)

______1. Which of the following color has the longest wavelength?
A. yellow B. red C. blue D. green

______2. What will be the arrangement of electromagnetic waves if we will

arrange them according to decreasing energy?
A. Gamma, radio, microwave
B. X-ray, gamma, ultraviolet
C. X-ray, light, radio
D. Gamma, ultraviolet, X-ray

______3. What do you call the bending of light rays as they pass obliquely from
one medium to another medium?
A. reflection B. refraction C. dispersion D. diffraction

______4. What type of reflection does fiber optic technology rely upon?
A. Regular reflection
B. Diffuse reflection
C. Retro reflection
D. Total internal reflection

______5. Which light bends most when white light passes through a prism?
A. red B. blue C. green D. violet
B. On the space provided before each number, write A if the first statement
is true and the second statement is false; B if the first statement is false and
the second statement is true; C if both statements are true; or D if both
statements are false. (2 points each number)

______1. The bouncing of a light ray from a surface is called reflection of

light.
Refraction of light happens whenever light strikes a mirror.

______2. The limiting of the planes where light waves propagate is the
polarization of light.
Polarized glasses counter the glare from metallic surfaces by not
allowing light of a particular orientation to pass through.

______3. Total internal reflection always happens whenever the light rays
passes from a medium of optically less dense to a more optically
dense medium.
Total internal reflection will happen as the light ray goes from
inside a diamond to the air outside, but not when the light ray
goes from the air to the diamond.

______4. The critical angle for material C is 570. If an incident ray

approaches the boundary between material C and the air at 59 0,
the light ray will be bent back and total internal reflection
happens.
The critical angle for material C is 570. If an incident ray
approaches the boundary between material C and the air at 59 0,
the refracted ray will lie along the boundary between the material.

______5. The result of dispersion is the use of fiber optics

The result of total internal reflection is the formation of rainbow.
JUMPSTART
1. D
2. B
3. B
4. D
5. C
EXPLORE
Answers may vary.
DEEPEN
Answers may vary.
GAUGE
A. B. (2 points each)
1. B 1. A
2. C 2. C
3. B 3. B
4. D 4. A
5. D 5. D
Answer Key
References
Books:

Aquino, Marites et al. 2012. Science Links-Physics. Sampaloc, Manila. Rex

Book Store, Inc.

Caintic, Helen E. 2017. General Physics 2. Quezon City. C and E Publishing,

Inc.

David, Oliver M. et al. 2012. Discover Science: Physics. Makati. Diwa

Learning Systems, Inc.

Nolasco, Fernando et al. 2010. Integrative Physics. Makati City. Salesiana

Books by Don Bosco Press, Inc.