Juana Chavez Refraction of Light 3rd Period

Refraction occurs everywhere. Have you not wonder why fishes look bigger in the water, or what causes a spoon to appear bent in a glass of water? This is because of refraction. Refraction of light is the bending of a ray of light as it passes at an angle from one medium into another. Refraction occurs in everyday situations. It happens when the lights velocity changes because the light passes from a fast medium into a slow medium causing the bending appearance. For example, if you put a two glass cups in front of a wine bottle and spaced them in different locations and space they would bother show different images of the wine bottle because it depends on the incident of refraction. The direction of where light will bend depends on the material it encounters and the speed of light. Light travels in a straight line until it encounters another material where it is partially reflected and partially transmitted. The angle of ray, when it is transmitted through the material changes and depends on the speed of light in the two materials. However, when light travels through a given medium it will travel in a straight line, but when light passes from one medium into a second medium; the light will bend. Also, refraction only occurs at the boundary; once the light has crossed the boundary between the two mediums it will continue to travel in a straight line. The direction of the line is now different than it was in the former medium. For example, The Broken Pencil Observation, this is where you place the pencil in different positions in a cup of water and it will appear different. The pencil placed in the exact center of container it looks bigger than it actually is. Pencil placed to the left of the center it appears a little farther and big than it is. Pencil placed on far left side of the container looks like its cut in half and smaller. It all depends on the material.

Juana Chavez Refraction of Light 3rd Period

Refraction of light is the bending of a ray of light as it passes at an angle from one medium into another. My objectives are where to recognize situations where refraction will occur, and identify which direction light will bend when it passes from one medium to another. I include some examples of refraction in my essay.

Bibliography
Refraction at a Boundary. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2013, from The Physics Classroom: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/refrn/U14L1e.cfm Refraction of Light. (2008, - -). Retrieved October 28, 2013, from Explore The Science Of Light: http://www.optics4kids.org/home/teachersparents/articles/the-refraction-of-light/ The Broken Pencil . (2013, - -). Retrieved October 28, 2013, from The Physics Classroom: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/optics/bp.cfm