Unit 13 · Geometric Optics

Chapter 13.2

Refraction and Total Internal Reflection

A straw in a glass of water looks broken at the surface, and a fish sees the whole sky squeezed into a circle overhead. Light changes speed at the boundary, and bending is the cost.

free · lesson 17 of 27

By the end

  1. 01Explain refraction as a change in wave speed and relate the index of refraction to speed
  2. 02Apply Snell's law to predict bending toward or away from the normal
  3. 03Find the critical angle and predict when total internal reflection occurs

In unit 13

  1. 13.1Reflection and Images in Mirrors
  2. 13.2Refraction and Total Internal Reflection
  3. 13.3Images Formed by Lenses
RELUE© MMXXVI

AP® is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this content.