Question

d) State how a ray of light
can travel from air into water without bending. Illustrate your answer
with a diagram.​

Answer 1

 

Refraction

If you shine a beam of light (a bundle of parallel rays) through the air, it will travel in a straight line. Rays of light usually travel in straight lines until they hit something.

If a ray of light hits the surface of a sheet of glass, some light will be reflected by the surface of the glass. However, much of the light will pass through the glass, because glass is transparent.

Water affects light rays in a similar way. Some light will be reflected off the surface of the water, but much of the light will pass through the transparent water.

When a ray passes from air into glass the direction in which the light ray is travelling changes. The light ray appears to bend as it as it passes through the surface of the glass.

When a light ray passes from air into water a similar thing occurs: the light ray is bent as it strikes the surface of the water.

This 'bending of a ray of light' when it passes from one substance into another substance is called refraction.

The bending of a ray of light also occurs when the ray comes out of glass or water and passes into air.