Chapter 18, Problem 38A

To determine

To Compare: The angle of incidence and the angle of refraction.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

When light passes from one medium to another, it changes the direction of propagation. It turns towards the direction of the normal when it passes from a rarer medium to a denser one, whereas when it passes from denser medium to rarer one, it turns in the direction away from the normal.

When a light ray passes from glass (denser medium) into air (rare medium), it would turn away from the direction of the normal. This would make the angle of refraction more than the angle of incidence.

Conclusion:

Thus, angle of incidence would be smaller than the angle of refraction.