Refraction Activity 1.5: Total Internal Reflection (Niklaus Teo)

Total Internal Reflection makes use of the Critical Angle and the Larger Angle of Incident to make it transfer information or light in the form of reflecting it. Applications of this can be found in many places such as turning light 90 or 180 degrees. Just like the Science Experience that we have done with the half circle and the laser, it the angle of incidence is greater than the Critical Angle, the laser ray is able to be reflection 90 degree.

Other application is in the use of Optical Fibers whereby the fibers that are made of very pure glass that are coated with layer of material of lower refractive index than that of the fiber. This is important as only when the light or information goes from a higher refractive index into a lower reflective index then it can be reflected, but how is total internal reflection made use? Well it is done so through letting the data or light to enter the optical fiber at a high angle of incidence. This high angle of incidence will be greater than the critical angle, thus causing it to reflected throughout the wire until its destination.