What do you know about refraction?

  1. Assessing prior Knowledge:
    Do not talk with your neighbor until told to do so.
    (There may be more than one correct answer for each.)

    _____ A. Light rays bend in a glass object:

    1. at the first edge only
    2. right in the middle,
    3. continuously throughout the glass,
    4. at both edges.

    _____ B. A triangular glass prism bends light which way? ________

    _____ C. The bigger angle is where the light....

    1. is going faster
    2. is going slower
    3. always goes the same speed, c.

    _____ D. Mirages are

    1. a figment of your imagination
    2. caused by refraction (bending of light)
    3. caused by reflection off the ground
    4. caused by temperature differences.

    _____ E. A very useful application of light being totally internally reflected inside a material (not escaping) is __ ?

  2. II. Exploration (Conceptual):
    A. With partners, discuss your answers for Prior Knowledge.
    Put question marks by any that have disagreement.

    B. Look through a thick prism.

    1. Do objects seem to move as you rotate the prism?
    2. Does the thickness of the prism seem to change as you rotate it?
    3. How can you explain this?

    C. Put your hand on one side of an aquarium.

    1. Can you look through the water in such a way that you cannot see your hand?
    2. Sketch the setup.

    D. A flashlight is under water. What is happening to the light here?

    E. Place a triangular or rectangular prism on a sheet of paper.

    1. Draw carefully around it.
    2. Put two pins behind the prism.
    3. Close one eye. Look through the glass and line up two more pins on the side near you, so that when you look through the glass all four pins seem lined up.

    4. Mark where all four pins are. Draw a line through each pair. Stop lines at the edge of the prism.
    5. Did the two outside lines make a straight line?
    6. How do you explain this?


Continue on to Refraction Lab.
Index for Refraction.


Andria Erzberger
2/1/01