STEP 3

UNDERSTAND THE BEHAVIOR OF WAVES IN OPEN AND CLOSED

ENVIRONMENTS

GRUPO: 203058-24

VLADIMIR PAREDES ÁLVAREZ

CÓD.94332087
JOSÉ ÁNGEL BOSSA DÍAS
CÓD. 1.100.399.559
ALEXIS MINA
CÓD. 1193042967
ALEXIS PEDROZA
CÓD. 67032716

PRESENTED TO

OMAR LEONARDO LEYTON

TUTOR

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA – UNAD”

SCHOOL OF BASIC SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING

ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY AND WAVES

2019 16-01
 INTRODUCTION

The practical activity is intended to explain the law of Snell where from the use of a
material medium an angle of incidence is generated which is given by the original beam
of light and an angle of refraction which is given by the angle refracted to from its
deviation.
The phenomenon of refraction of light that is explained in practice occurs when light
crosses the borders that divide the two transparent media and therefore the light beam
undergoes a deviation with respect to the original trajectory. Each transparent medium
has a refractive index which is demonstrated from the following equation.
𝑐
𝑛=
𝑣
 Developed activity

1. Determine 3 advantages and 2 disadvantages presented by natural

phenomena of refraction or reflection for the transmission of
electromagnetic waves.

Refraction allows the existence of transparent materials as glass, windows and some
plastics. A great application of refraction phenomena is in glasses where they have had
great impact on health of people that suffer eyes illness. Meanwhile, Reflection allows
the existence of mirrors where they have a lot of importance in everydayness and
industrial area. Other advantage of refraction and reflection of EM waves is for radar
and communications applications. For example, Radar allows to detect air or maritime
vehicles through reflection of Radar waves from vehicles. Also, some radars allow,
through reflection or refraction, to determinate the weather, geological properties of
earth or presence of chemical elements in a zone. In communications, radar waves
have both atmospheric refraction and reflection properties. The first one allows
communication with spacecraft and satellites outside of the planet, and the second
allows communication within earth. One more advantage of reflection is radiography
area. X-ray can cross the human body but bones, for example, reflect it. Thus, through
x-ray it can be determinated broken or damaged bones.

Nevertheless, refraction and reflection can be disadvantageous in some cases. Inside

of earth, some frequencies of radar spectrum can’t be refracted for some materials,
instead, they are reflected. It supposes a great problem for communications with some
frequencies where, for example, buildings or mountains, don’t allow these radar waves
to cross them, blocking the communications. In other hand, some frequencies of EM
spectrum can cross a lot of type of mediums and materials. For example, gamma
radiation, that is so dangerous for human, can cross, without any reflection, a lot of
materials supposing a great risk and danger for human.
2. Explain what Snell's Law is for in the propagation of electromagnetic
waves.
Snell’s Law states that “direction angles θ inside each of the regions are related
to each other” (Chen, 20105, p.521) following that
ni sin θi = nr sin θr
n = index of refraction
i = incident
r = refracted

Thus, Snell’s Laws related incident angles and refraction angles, where the result of
this relation is the index of refraction (Woodwell, 2016)

sin θr ni vr
= =
sin θi nr vi

Throug this relation, it can be determinated the angle, the index or the velocity of
incident or refraction ray. With all of this, it can be determinated the type of mediums
of materials.
3. How is the total reflection of an electromagnetic wave achieved by
colliding with a different medium of propagation?
n
There is a critic incident angle θC = sin−1 nr . For achieve the total internal reflection, the
i

refraction angle must be 90°. So, for achieve a 90° refraction angle θr , the incident
angle θi always must be greater than critic angle θC (θi > θC ). It causes that the index
of refraction of refraction medium always must be smaller than index of refraction of
incident medium ( nr < ni ). So, the “ray” or the EM wave won’t be refracted, and so only
it will be totally reflected.

4. How is the total refraction of an electromagnetic wave achieved by

colliding with a different means of propagation?

Contrary to total internal reflection, the refraction angle must be so smaller than 90°.
So, following it, the incident angle θi always must be so smaller than critic angle θC (θi
<< θC ). In fact, there is an angle where no reflection is produced. This angle is known
as Brewster’s Angle. Thus, the index of refraction of refraction medium always must
be greater than index of refraction of incident medium ( nr > ni ). Then, there isn’t
reflection but there is a total refraction.

5. What do you mean by polarization of electromagnetic waves?

The EM waves propagating in z-direction tends to polarize with electrical field x-

component of electromagnetic wave, in other words and generally, the wave follows
the same way to electrical field, contouring the electrical field surface. There are 3
types of polarization:

• Linear Polarization for plane waves

• Circular Polarization for two perpendicular EM waves of equal amplitude but

90° out of phase
• Elliptical Polarization for two perpendicular EM waves of different amplitude
and 90° out of phase
 Exercises (one per student)

student 1: José ángel bossa días

When the red light in the vacuum is incident on the Brewster angle on a given
glass plate, the refraction angle is 28°. What are (a) the refraction index of the
glass and (b) the Brewster angle?

Solution

Known data:

𝜃1 = 𝜃𝑏 𝜃2 = 28° 𝑛1 = 1

The exercise tells us that a Brewster angle is being formed, we deduce that this
is the same as the incidence angle.
𝑛2
tan(𝜃𝑏 ) =
𝑛1
we cleared n2 :

𝒏𝟐 = 𝒕𝒂𝒏(𝜽𝒃 ) ∗ 𝒏𝟏

As the Brewster angle and the angle of refraction are orthogonal:

𝜃𝑏 + 𝜃2 = 90
Therefore:
𝜃𝑏 + 28° = 90
 𝜃𝑏 = 90° − 28°

𝜽𝒃 = 𝟔𝟐°
Then n2
𝑛2 = tan(62) ∗ 1

𝒏𝟐 = 𝟏. 𝟖𝟖𝟎𝟕

student 2: Vladimir Paredes Álvarez

b. En la siguiente figura n_1 = 1.9, n_1 = 1.4 y n_3 = 1.1, la luz se refracta del
material 1 al material 2. Si ocurre un incidente en el punto A en el ángulo crítico para
la interfaz entre los materiales 2 y 3, ¿qué es (a ) el ángulo de refracción en el punto
B y (b) el ángulo inicial θ? Si, en cambio, la luz incide en B en el ángulo crítico para la
interfaz entre los materiales 2 y 3, ¿cuáles son (c) el ángulo de refracción en el punto
A y (d) el ángulo inicial?

Solution
Data of the problem
𝑛1 = 1,9
𝑛2 = 1,4
𝑛3 = 1,1
First panorama
The light is refracted from material 1 to material 2. If an incident occurs at point A at
the critical angle for the interface between materials 2 and 3
A. What is the refraction angle at point B?

First we calculate the critical angle between materials 2 and 3

𝑛2
𝜃𝑐 = sen−1
𝑛1
It must be taken into account that it goes from material 2 to 3 where the equation is
left
𝑛3
𝜃𝑐 = sen−1
𝑛2
Remplazamos
1,1
𝜃𝑐 = sen−1
1,4
𝜃𝑐 = sen−1 0,7857
𝜽𝒄 = 𝟓𝟏, 𝟕𝟗°
Since the critical angle is the angle of incidence, we can calculate the angle of refraction
with the formula.
𝑛1
sen 𝜃𝑟 = ∗ sen 𝜃𝑖
𝑛2
As we come from 2 to 3 we have left
𝑛2
sen 𝜃𝑟 = ∗ sen 𝜃𝑖
𝑛3
Replace and clear to check
1,4
sen 𝜃𝑟 = ∗ sen 51,79
1,1
1,4
𝜃𝑟 = sen−1 ( ∗ sen 51,78)
1,1
 𝜃𝑟 = sen−1(1,2727 ∗ 0,7857)
𝜃𝑟 = sen−1(1)

𝜽𝒓 = 𝟗𝟎°
As the angle of refraction is 90 ° with respect to the normal the ray is reflected with the
same angle of incidence.
The above by law of the angles tells us that the angle of incidence in B is 38.22 ° with
which we can calculate the angle of refraction at this point
1,4
sen 𝜃𝑟 = ∗ sen 38,22
1,1
1,4
𝜃𝑟 = sen−1 ( ∗ sen 38,22)
1,1
𝜃𝑟 = sen−1(1,2727 ∗ 0,6187)
𝜃𝑟 = sen−1(0,7874)

𝜽𝒓 = 𝟓𝟏, 𝟗𝟒°

What is the initial angle of incidence θ

Since I know the refraction angle, I can calculate the incidence angle taking into
account that it goes from material 1 to 2
𝑛1
sen 𝜃𝑟 = ∗ sen 𝜃𝑖
𝑛2

clear 𝜃𝑖
𝑛2
∗ sen 𝜃𝑟 = sen 𝜃𝑖
𝑛1

𝑛2
𝜃𝑖 = sen−1 ( ∗ sen 𝜃𝑟 )
𝑛1
We replace
1,4
𝜃𝑖 = sen−1 ( ∗ sen 51,94)
1,9
 𝜃𝑖 = sen−1(0,7368 ∗ 0,7874)

𝜃𝑖 = sen−1(0,5801)

𝜽𝒊 = 𝟑𝟓, 𝟒𝟔°
Second panorama
If, on the other hand, light falls on B at the critical angle for the interface between
materials 2 and 3
(c) the refraction angle at point A
First we calculate the critical angle at point B
Since they are the same materials of point A, the angle is the same in B
𝑛3
𝜃𝑐 = sen−1
𝑛2
We replace
1,1
𝜃𝑐 = sen−1
1,4
𝜃𝑐 = sen−1 0,7857
𝜽𝒄 = 𝟓𝟏, 𝟕𝟗°

By law of the angles I can determine the angle that comes out of point A
90 + 51,79 + 𝜃𝐴 = 180
𝜃𝐴 = 180 − 90 − 51,79

𝜽𝑨 = 𝟑𝟖, 𝟐𝟏°

Taking into account the theory, it is known that the reflected angle has the same
incidence angle
 𝜽𝒊𝑨 = 𝟑𝟖, 𝟐𝟏°

Which leaves us that the refraction angle of the initial point is?

𝜽𝒓 = 𝟓𝟏, 𝟕𝟗°
With which we can calculate the initial incidence

(d) the initial angle

𝑛2
𝜃𝑖 = sen−1 ( ∗ sen 𝜃𝑟 )
𝑛1

We replace
1,4
𝜃𝑖 = sen−1 ( ∗ sen 51,79)
1,9

𝜃𝑖 = sen−1(0,7368 ∗ 0,7857)

𝜃𝑖 = sen−1(0,5789)

𝜽𝒊 = 𝟑𝟓, 𝟑𝟕°

student 3: Alexis mina

A laser that is inside a tank of water, shoots a ray of light upwards. If the laser is
located h1=20cm under water. At what minimum horizontal distance d1 from the
laser pointer should you shoot so that the beam does not leave the water?

Solution
 The first thing to consider is the refractive index of water which is 1.5

the angle is calculated

𝑛 1
𝑠𝑒𝑛(𝜃𝑐 ) = 𝑛2 = 1.5 = 0.66
1

𝜃𝑐 = 𝑠𝑒𝑛−1 (0.66) = 41.2°

Now you get a trigonometric relationship between depth and distance

𝑑1
= 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝜃1
ℎ1

We clear 𝑑1
𝑑1 = 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝜃1 ∗ ℎ1

it is replaced
𝑑1 = 𝑇𝑎𝑛(41.2° ) ∗ 20𝑐𝑚

𝑑1 = 17.5 𝑐𝑚

student 4: Alexis Pedroza

4. In the following figure a 3m long vertical pole extends from the bottom of a
swimming pool to a point 50cm above the water. Sunlight is incident at angle 𝜃 = 60
grados. What is the length of the shadow of the pole on the level bottom of the pool?
graph;

60o = incidencia

50 cm= 0.050m

3m =h

sombra
SOLUTION TO THE EXERCISE 4 alexis pedroza

Applying the law of snell and the theory of the right triangle we have:

Knowing the angle of incidence, you can obtain the angle of refraction:
 𝑛1
sin 𝜃𝑟= sin 𝜃𝑖
𝑛2
Siendo:

𝜃𝑖 = 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑜 𝑑𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑎 = 60 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑜𝑠

𝑛1 = 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑙 𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑒 = 1
𝑛2 = 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑙 𝑎𝑔𝑢𝑎 = 1.5

1
sin 𝜃𝑟= sin 60𝑜 = 0.67 sin 60𝑜 = (0.67) ∗ (0.866) = 0.577
1.5
sin 𝜃𝑟 = 0.577
𝜃𝑟 = sin−1 0.577 = 35.26

𝜃𝑟 = sin−1 0.577 = 35.26 = 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑜 𝑑𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑖𝑜𝑛.

Then with this angle, you can calculate the projected shadow of the vertical
pole:

Applying the Pythagorean theorem, we can say that:

Height of the object is the leg a = 3m or height of the pole.

The projected shadow or shadow would be the leg b =?
And the angle or height of the sun in degrees is: 180 = 90 - 35.26 - height of sun in degrees
Sunshine in degrees = 54.74 degrees.
Since the internal angles of a triangle add up to 180 degrees and this being a right triangle, it has a
right angle of 90 degrees and the top angle is the refractive angle, which was formed by the incidence
of light at a 60 degree angle being the angle of refraction of 35.26 degrees.

𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑎
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃𝑟 =
𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑒
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃𝑟 ∗ 𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒 = 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑎
tan(35.26) ∗ 3𝑚 = 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑎
2.12 𝑚 = 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑎

2.12 meters is the shadow cast by the post ...

Which is the same as saying?

𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑒
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑙 𝑠𝑜𝑙 𝑒𝑛 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑜𝑠 =
𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑎
𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑙 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑒
𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑎 =
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑙 𝑠𝑜𝑙 𝑒𝑛 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑜𝑠
3𝑚
𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑎 =
𝑡𝑎𝑛(54.74 )𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑙 𝑠𝑜𝑙 𝑒𝑛 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑜𝑠
3𝑚
𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑎 = = 2.12 𝑚
1.414

With this you can verify that the shadow that the post projects is 2.12 meters ...
student 5:
CONCLUSIONS
21/5000
(one per student)

En Español.
La luz que pasa de un medio a otro experimenta una desviación, en su dirección
normal o continua, lo que provoca su proyección en línea recta, se desvía o se inclina
en un ángulo específico, este fenómeno ocurre ya que cada medio tiene un índice de
refracción, que está determinada por la velocidad de la luz en el vacío en la velocidad
de la luz en el medio, además del ángulo con el que la luz incide antes de entrar en el
medio donde se refractará, generando así un ángulo, que se conocerá como ángulo de
luz. refracción.

este fenómeno que la luz experimenta en los diferentes medios o de un medio a otro,
nos permite ver el reflejo y la refracción de la luz, lo que hace que se generen sobras,
ya sea que los objetos sean o no visibles de un medio a otro, o Generar
deformaciones en la percepción.
In English:
The light passing from one medium to another, experiences a deviation, on its normal
or continuous direction, causing its projection in a straight line, be diverted or inclined
at a specific angle, this phenomenon occurs since each medium has an index of
refraction, which is determined by the speed of light in the vacuum on the speed of
light in the medium, in addition to the angle with which the light strikes before
entering the medium where it will be refracted, thus generating an angle, which will
be known as the angle of light. refraction.
this phenomenon that the light experiences in the different media or from one
medium to another, can let us see, the reflection and refraction of the light, thus
causing leftovers to be generated, whether or not objects are visible from one
medium to another, or generate deformations in perception.
 REFERENCES

• Woodwell, G. (2016). Reflection and Refraction. Salem Press Encyclopedia Of

Science, Retrieved from
http://bibliotecavirtual.unad.edu.co:2051/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&AN=
89317193&lang=es&site=eds-live
• Chen, W. (2005). The Electrical Engineering Handbook. Boston: Academic Press.
513-519. Retrieved from
http://bibliotecavirtual.unad.edu.co/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/logi
n.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=117152&lang=es&site=ehost-
live&ebv=EB&ppid=pp_513
• C. R. Nave (s.f) Classification of Polarization. HyperPhysics. USA. Retrived from
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/phyopt/polclas.html
• Polyanskiy, M (2019). Refractive Index Database. Retrived from
https://refractiveindex.info/?shelf=glass&book=BK7&page=HIKARI
• Fernandez, J (s.f) Reflexión y Refracción de la Luz. in La Luz en Física. Fisicalab.
Retrived from https://www.fisicalab.com/apartado/reflexion-refraccion-
luz#contenidos