A diver shines light up to the surface of a flat glass-bottomed boat at an angle of 30° relative to the normal. If the index of refraction of water and glass are 1.33 and 1.5, respectively, at what angle (in degrees) does the light leave the glass (relative to its normal) ?

A. 26

B. 35

C. 42

D. 22

E. 48

35

Explanation:

According to snell's law which states that the ratio of the sin of incidence (i) to the angle of refraction (n) is a constant for a given pair of media.

sini/sinr = n

n is the constant = refractive index

Since the diver shines light up to the surface of a flat glass-bottomed boat, the refractive index n = nw/ng

nw is the refractive index of water and ng is that of glass

sini/sinr = nw/ng

given i = 30°, nw = 1.33, ng = 1.5, r = angle the light leave the glass

On substitution;

sin 30/sinr = 1.33/1.5

1.5sin30 = 1.33sinr

sinr = 1.5sin30/1.33

sinr = 0.75/1.33

sinr = 0.5639

r = arcsin0.5639

r ≈35°

angle the light leave the glass is 35°