1. Light typically travels in straight lines in the form of electromagnetic waves. It moves in a vacuum at a speed of approximately 299,792 kilometers per second (186,282 miles per second).
2. To prevent light from escaping while traveling through glass (or water), the material needs to have a higher refractive index than the surrounding medium. The principle of total internal reflection is applied, where light is internally reflected back into the material due to the angle of incidence being greater than the critical angle.
3. Total internal reflection plays a crucial role in making fiber optic messages possible. Fiber optic cables consist of a core made of high refractive index material surrounded by a cladding with a lower refractive index. When light enters the core at a specific angle, it undergoes total internal reflection, bouncing off the cladding and continuously traveling down the fiber without leaking out. This allows for the transmission of light signals over long distances without significant loss, enabling efficient and fast communication through fiber optic cables.
How does light typically travel?
2. Traveling through glass (or water) is not good enough to prevent light
from escaping. What also needs to be done?
3. In your own words, how does total internal reflection make fiber
optic messages possible?
1 answer