Angle of Incidence Calculator
Calculate angle of incidence and refraction using Snell's Law and optics principles
Optics Calculator
Choose which angle you want to calculate
Refractive index: 1.000273
Refractive index: 1.333000
Known refraction angle
Optics Results
Snell's Law: n₁ sin(θ₁) = n₂ sin(θ₂)
Refractive indices: n₁ = 1.000273, n₂ = 1.333000
Index ratio: n₂/n₁ = 1.332636
Optical Analysis
Example Calculation
Light Exiting Water
Scenario: Light ray traveling from water to air
Medium 1: Water (n₁ = 1.333)
Medium 2: Air (n₂ = 1.000273)
Angle of refraction: 45°
Solution
Using Snell's Law: sin(θ₁) = (n₂/n₁) × sin(θ₂)
sin(θ₁) = (1.000273/1.333) × sin(45°)
sin(θ₁) = 0.7502 × 0.7071 = 0.5305
θ₁ = 32.0°
The angle of incidence in water is 32.0°
Refractive Indices
Optical Phenomena
Refraction
Bending of light when entering new medium
Total Internal Reflection
Complete reflection at critical angle
Brewster's Angle
Angle for complete polarization
Applications
Camera Lenses
Light focusing and aberration control
Microscopy
Oil immersion for better resolution
Optical Fibers
Total internal reflection for data transmission
Understanding Light Refraction
What is Angle of Incidence?
The angle of incidence is the angle between an incoming light ray and the normal (perpendicular line) to the surface at the point of contact. When light travels from one medium to another, it changes direction according to Snell's Law.
Key Principles
- •Light bends toward normal when entering denser medium
- •Light bends away from normal when entering rarer medium
- •Critical angle leads to total internal reflection
- •Brewster's angle produces completely polarized light
Snell's Law
n₁ sin(θ₁) = n₂ sin(θ₂)
- n₁, n₂: Refractive indices of media 1 and 2
- θ₁: Angle of incidence
- θ₂: Angle of refraction
Critical Conditions
Critical Angle: θc = sin⁻¹(n₂/n₁)
Brewster's Angle: θB = tan⁻¹(n₂/n₁)
Total Internal Reflection: θ₁ > θc (when n₁ > n₂)
Real-World Applications
Optical Instruments
Telescopes, microscopes, cameras use refraction for image formation
Fiber Optics
Total internal reflection enables high-speed data transmission
Optical Devices
Prisms, lenses, and polarizers for various applications