1. Optical Phenomena
By: Tayim and Quinton

2. Objectives
★Recognize atmospheric conditions that
cause refraction
★Explain dispersion and phenomena such
as rainbows in terms of the relationship
between the index of refraction and
wavelength.
★Demonstrate internal reflection with fiber
optics.

3. Introduction
Welcome! Today will be talking about
optical phenomena.

4. Atmospheric Refraction
● Refraction happens when a light wave
bends after it enters through a medium
● A mirage is an example of a phenomenon
of nature because of refraction in the
atmosphere.

5. Mirage Phenomena
• A mirage happens when there is great
temperature differences between the air
and the ground.

6. Dispersion
● Dispersion is the change of index of
refraction with wavelength.
● The index decreases while the
wavelength increases.
● It is also the phenomenon which gives
you the separation of colors through a
prism.
● Example: the rainbow

7. Rainbow Phenomenon
• The rainbow is an optical phenomenon
•
that is caused by reflection and refraction
in water droplets.
A rain drops acts like a prism and
separates the light into colors based on
their wavelengths

8. Total Internal Reflection
• Internal reflection happens when a
•
boundary between two transparent media
react.
When a ray of light in a medium of higher
index of refraction approaches the other
medium at an angle of incidence is
greater than the critical angle.

9. Fiber Optics
• Fiber optics is the use of a thin flexible
•
fiber of glass or solids to transmit light
signals.
Optical fibers are based from the principle
of total internal reflection.

10. Questions
• What is atmospheric refraction?
• Tell me similarities between fiber optics
and internal reflection.
• How does a mirage occur?
• How is a rainbow formed?
• What does index of refraction have to do
with dispersion?

11. Bibliography
ow Mirages Work. (n.d.). HowStuffWorks. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://science.howstuffworks.com/mirage.htm
Mirages. (n.d.). Mirages. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/refrn/u14l4c.cfm
Nave, R.. "Dispertion ." Hyper Physics. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.
<http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geoopt/dispersion.html>.
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