Critical Angle (Noun)
Meaning
The smallest angle of incidence for which light is totally reflected.
Classification
Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes.
Examples
- When light travels from a denser medium to a rarer medium, the critical angle is the smallest angle of incidence for which light is totally reflected.
- The critical angle depends on the refractive indices of the two media involved in the reflection process.
- The concept of critical angle is essential in understanding the behavior of light at the boundary between two media with different refractive indices.
- Total internal reflection occurs when the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle, resulting in the reflection of light back into the denser medium.
- In fiber optics, the critical angle plays a crucial role in determining the acceptance angle of an optical fiber.