AP Physics 2 : Optics

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Physics 2

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Example Questions

Example Question #91 : Optics

You are passing a ray of light through clear alcohol to determine properties. You shine the light ray exactly \displaystyle 45^o to the surface of alcohol. 

Determine the index of refraction required in the alcohol to have total internal reflection? 

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle .71

\displaystyle .50

\displaystyle 0

\displaystyle .75

Correct answer:

\displaystyle .71

Explanation:

To have total internal reflection, our equation will become:

\displaystyle 1*sin(45^o)=n_2sin(90^o)

\displaystyle sin(45^o)=n_2=.71

Example Question #7 : Index Of Refraction

You are passing a ray of light through clear alcohol to determine properties. You shine the light ray exactly \displaystyle 45^o to the surface of alcohol. 

Determine the index of refraction of alcohol if the light ray bends to \displaystyle 22^o to the normal. Assume index of refraction of air is \displaystyle 1

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 45

\displaystyle 2.1

\displaystyle .53

\displaystyle 1.9

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1.9

Explanation:

We can use our knowledge about the indices of refraction to come up with our equation:

\displaystyle n_1sin(45^o)=n_2sin(22^o), where \displaystyle n_1 is the index of refraction of air and \displaystyle n_2 is the index of refraction for our alcohol. 

Since \displaystyle n_1=1

\displaystyle \frac{sin(45^o)}{sin(22^o)}=n_2=1.9

Example Question #8 : Index Of Refraction

Suppose that a ray of light traveling through air strikes a new medium. Upon doing so, the light bends away from the normal. Which of the following could this new medium be?

Possible Answers:

Vacuum

Diamond

Water

Carbon dioxide

Glass

Correct answer:

Vacuum

Explanation:

For this question, we're told that light is passing from air into another medium. In doing so, the light is refracted such that it bends away from the normal. We're asked to identify a possible medium.

The most important thing to understand about refraction is that when light passes into a new medium at an angle with respect to the normal, that light will be refracted, either away from or toward the normal. This is because light will travel through different media at different speeds. The faster light travels, the more it will bend away from the normal.

Generally, the angle at which light is bent can be predicted by Snell's law. In doing so, this equation takes use of the refractive index, a value unique to each medium. The expression for refractive index is as follows.

\displaystyle n=\frac{c}{v}

Where \displaystyle n refers to the refractive index, \displaystyle c refers to the speed of light in a vacuum, and \displaystyle v refers to the speed of light in a given medium.

Since the speed of light is fastest when in a vacuum, the refractive index can never be less than \displaystyle 1. Only when the light is in a vacuum is the refractive index equal to \displaystyle 1. In any other medium, the refractive index will be greater than \displaystyle 1, even if it is slight.

Light will always refract away from the normal when it passes into a medium with a lower refractive index (indicating the light is traveling faster). Starting from air, the only way this can happen is for the new medium to have an index of refraction that is less than air. Of the answer choices shown, the only one that fits that criteria is the vacuum.

Example Question #1 : Index Of Refraction

The speed of light in a vacuum, \displaystyle c, is calculated to be \displaystyle 2.99 \cdot 10^8 \frac{m}{s}. The speed of light in a diamond is calculated to be \displaystyle 1.25 \cdot 10^8 \frac{m}{s}. What is the refractive index of diamond?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 2.392

\displaystyle 1.578

\displaystyle 2.000

\displaystyle 4.500

\displaystyle 0.418

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 2.392

Explanation:

The definition of refractive index of a medium \displaystyle n is the speed of light in a vacuum divided by the speed of light in the medium:

\displaystyle n = \frac{c}{v}

We have values for \displaystyle c and \displaystyle v, so we can plug in our numbers into the equation.

\displaystyle n&=\frac{2.99\cdot 10^8\ \frac{m}{s}}{1.25\cdot 10^8\ \frac{m}{s}}

\displaystyle n= 2.392

Because we're dividing two values with the same units, our answer is unitless. 

Example Question #92 : Optics

Light rays encounter a mystery optical device, resulting in a new distribution of the light waves as shown. Assume the light travels from right to left.

Photo 2 1

What type of reflecting or refracting surface is depicted?

Possible Answers:

Converging lens

Converging mirror

Diverging mirror

Plane (flat) mirror

Diverging lens

Correct answer:

Converging lens

Explanation:

In a converging lens, the light waves pass through it and have their angles altered so that they point closer together than they did before they went through the lens. In the picture, the light waves are diverging from a point until they go into the lens, at which point they no longer diverge from each other. Therefore, this is a converging lens. Because the waves are travelling the same direction the whole time, it can't be the converging or diverging mirrors. If the lens were diverging, they'd be more separated. If it were a plane mirror, the waves would get polarized (they'd have the same phase angle).

Example Question #93 : Optics

If a person with near point distance of 20cm observes a fine detailed coin with magnifying glass with an angular magnification of 5, what is the focal length?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 1m

\displaystyle 0.0025m

\displaystyle 0.04m

\displaystyle 0.4m

\displaystyle 0.25m

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 0.04m

Explanation:

Use the formula for focal length.

\displaystyle M=\frac{\frac{h_0}{f}}{\frac{h_0}{N}}

Solve for focal length by substituting known values.

\displaystyle f=\frac{N}{M} = \frac{20 { {cm}}}{5}=4 { cm}=0.04{ m}

Example Question #3 : Other Optics Principles

Malus' law:

\displaystyle I=I_0cos^2(\theta)

Where \displaystyle I is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, \displaystyle I_0 is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and \displaystyle \theta is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.Malus law

Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another at angle \displaystyle 25^{\circ} to the first. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the second polarizer?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 100\%

\displaystyle 66.6\%

\displaystyle 35.5\%

\displaystyle 45.7\%

\displaystyle 82.1\%

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 82.1\%

Explanation:

Malus law

Using Malus' law.

\displaystyle I=I_0cos^2(\theta)

Since the initial light is unpolarized, there will be no intensity lost.

\displaystyle I=I_0cos^2(25^{\circ})

\displaystyle I=I_0*.821

\displaystyle 82.1\%=.821

Example Question #3 : Other Optics Principles

Malus' law:

\displaystyle I=I_0cos^2(\theta)

Where \displaystyle I is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, \displaystyle I_0 is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and \displaystyle \theta is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.Malus law

Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle \displaystyle 35^{\circ} to the first, and then another at angle \displaystyle 25^{\circ} to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the third polarizer?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 23.6\%

None of these

\displaystyle 75.8\%

\displaystyle 69.2\%

\displaystyle 55.1\%

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 55.1\%

Explanation:

Malus law

Use Malus' law.

\displaystyle I=I_0cos^2(\theta)

The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. It is thus necessary to use Malus' law twice.

\displaystyle I_1=I_0cos^2(\theta_1)

\displaystyle I_2=I_1cos^2(\theta_2)

Where \displaystyle I_0 is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.

\displaystyle I_1 is the intensity after the second polarizer.

\displaystyle I_2 is the intensity after the third polarizer.

\displaystyle \theta_1 is the angle between the first and second polarizers.

\displaystyle \theta_2 is the angle between the second and third polarizers.

Combining equations:

\displaystyle I_2=I_0cos^2(\theta_2)cos^2({\theta_1})

Plug in values:

\displaystyle I_2=I_0cos^2(25^\circ)cos^2(35^\circ)

\displaystyle I_2=.551I_0

Example Question #3 : Other Optics Principles

Malus' law:

\displaystyle I=I_0cos^2(\theta)

Where \displaystyle I is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, \displaystyle I_0 is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and \displaystyle \theta is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.Malus law

Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle \displaystyle 55^{\circ} to the first, and then another at angle \displaystyle 65^{\circ} to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the third polarizer?

Possible Answers:

None of these

\displaystyle 4.21\%

\displaystyle 5.88\%

\displaystyle 65.2\%

\displaystyle 15.99\%

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 5.88\%

Explanation:

Malus law

Use Malus' law.

\displaystyle I=I_0cos^2(\theta)

The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.

\displaystyle I_1=I_0cos^2(\theta_1)

\displaystyle I_2=I_1cos^2(\theta_2)

Where \displaystyle I_0 is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.

\displaystyle I_1 is the intensity after the second polarizer.

\displaystyle I_2 is the intensity after the third polarizer.

\displaystyle \theta_1 is the angle between the first and second polarizers.

\displaystyle \theta_2 is the angle between the second and third polarizers.

Combining equations:

\displaystyle I_2=I_0cos^2(\theta_2)cos^2({\theta_1})

Plug in values:

\displaystyle I_2=I_0cos^2(65^\circ)cos^2(55^\circ)

\displaystyle I_2=.0588I_0

Example Question #6 : Other Optics Principles

Malus' law:

\displaystyle I=I_0cos^2(\theta)

Where \displaystyle I is the intensity of polarized light that has passed through the polarizer, \displaystyle I_0 is the intensity of polarized light before the polarizer, and \displaystyle \theta is the angle between the polarized light and the polarizer.

Unpolarized light passes through a polarizer. It then passes through another polarizer at angle \displaystyle 5^{\circ} to the first, and then another at angle \displaystyle 45^{\circ} to the second. What percentage of the original intensity was the light coming out of the third polarizer?

Possible Answers:

None of these

\displaystyle 89.2\%

\displaystyle 49.6\%

\displaystyle 79.7\%

\displaystyle 59.7\%

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 49.6\%

Explanation:

Malus law

Use Malus' law.

\displaystyle I=I_0cos^2(\theta)

The light's intensity is reduced by the final two polarizers. We will need to use Malus' law twice.

\displaystyle I_1=I_0cos^2(\theta_1)

\displaystyle I_2=I_1cos^2(\theta_2)

Where \displaystyle I_0 is the initial intensity after the first polarizer.

\displaystyle I_1 is the intensity after the second polarizer.

\displaystyle I_2 is the intensity after the third polarizer.

\displaystyle \theta_1 is the angle between the first and second polarizers.

\displaystyle \theta_2 is the angle between the second and third polarizers.

Combine equations:

\displaystyle I_2=I_0cos^2(\theta_2)cos^2({\theta_1})

Plug in values:

\displaystyle I_2=I_0cos^2(45^\circ)cos^2(5^\circ)

\displaystyle I_2=.496I_0

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