Question

Place a glass block in the centre of a sheet of paper and draw around it. Draw a normal through
the centre of the outline and shine a beam of light at the point on the edge of the block where it
touches the normal.
1. Label the diagram below and mark on the angle of incidence and angle of refraction
where the beam enters the glass block.

KS3 Physics

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Set up the experiment with the light beam hitting the block at angles of 60°, 30° and 0°. Use
your results to complete the following diagrams. Make sure you mark on the angles of incidence
and refraction for the light entering and leaving the block.
2.

3.

KS3 Physics

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4.

5. Record your results in this table:

entering block exiting block
angle of
incidence

angle of
refraction

angle of
incidence

angle of
refraction

60°

30°

0°

6.

KS3 Physics

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Does light travel faster through air or glass?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. a) What is the relationship between the angle of incidence as the light enters the block
and the
angle of refraction as the light leaves the block?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b) Can you explain why this is the case?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

8. How do you think the results of the experiment might have differed if a material denser
than glass had been used?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Answer 1

Answer:

where is the index of refraction of the material the incident ray is traveling through, the index of refraction of the material the refracted ray travels through, is the angle of incidence, and is measured between the ray and a line normal to the surface that intersects the surface at the same point as the ray

Explanation: