Question

Monochromatic light of wavelength 589 nm is incident from air on a water surface. What are the wavelength, frequency and speed of (a) reflected and (b) refracted light? Refractive index of water is 1.33.

Answer 1

Wavelength of incident monochromatic light, λ = 589 nm = 589 × 10⁻⁹ m

Speed of light in air, c = 3 × 10⁸ m/s

Refractive index of water, μ = 1.33

(a) The ray will reflect back in the same medium as that of the incident ray. Hence, the wavelength, speed, and frequency of the reflected ray will be the same as those of the incident ray.

Frequency of light is given by the relation,

v = `c/lambda`

= `(3 xx10^8)/(589 xx 10^(-9))`

= 5.09 × 10¹⁴ Hz

Hence, the speed, frequency, and wavelength of the reflected light are 3 × 10⁸ m/s, 5.09 × 10¹⁴ Hz, and 589 nm, respectively.

(b) Frequency of light does not depend on the property of the medium in which it is travelling. Hence, the frequency of the refracted ray in water will be equal to the frequency of the incident or reflected light in the air.

∴ Refracted frequency, v = 5.09 ×10¹⁴ Hz

Speed of light in water is related to the refractive index of water as:

v = `c/μ`

= `(3 xx 10^8)/1.33`

= 2.26 × 10⁸ m/s

Wavelength of light in water is given by the relation,

`lambda = v/v`

= `(2.26 xx 10^8)/(5.09 xx 10^(14))`

= 444.007 × 10⁻⁹ m

= 444.01 nm

Hence, the speed, frequency, and wavelength of refracted light are 2.26 × 10⁸ m/s, 444.01 nm, and 5.09 × 10¹⁴ Hz, respectively.