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The diagram shows light incident on the centre of a semi circular glass block - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 6 - 2016 - Paper 1

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The diagram shows light incident on the centre of a semi circular glass block. Angle X is less than the critical angle. Complete the sentence by putting a cross (✗)... show full transcript

Worked Solution & Example Answer:The diagram shows light incident on the centre of a semi circular glass block - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 6 - 2016 - Paper 1

Step 1

Complete the sentence by putting a cross (✗) in the box next to your answer.

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Answer

The ray of light emerges from the glass block along the path towards C. This is because when the angle of incidence is less than the critical angle, the light refracts and continues in the glass block.

Step 2

Complete the diagram to show what happens to the ray of light after it reaches the surface of the glass at point P.

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Answer

Since angle Y is greater than the critical angle, the ray of light will reflect internally at point P. You must indicate the angle of incidence greater than the critical angle leading to total internal reflection.

Step 3

Explain why the light changes direction when it passes from air into the glass lens.

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Answer

As light travels from air (less dense medium) into glass (denser medium), it slows down, resulting in refraction. The change in speed causes the light to bend towards the normal. This bending or change of direction occurs due to Snell's law, described by the formula: n1imesextsin(heta1)=n2imesextsin(heta2)n_1 imes ext{sin}( heta_1) = n_2 imes ext{sin}( heta_2) where n_1 and n_2 are the refractive indices of air and glass respectively.

Step 4

Calculate the power of this lens.

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The formula for power (P) of a lens is given as: P = rac{1}{f} where f is the focal length in meters. Given that the focal length f is 0.25 m:

Substituting the values: P = rac{1}{0.25} = 4.0 Thus, the power of the lens is 4.0 diopters.

Step 5

Discuss what is happening to the light in each example.

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Answer

In the fibre optic lamp, light is being transmitted through optical fibers, showcasing total internal reflection, allowing the light to travel long distances without significant loss.

In the plane mirror, the light reflects off the mirror's surface, following the law of reflection where the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. This allows for clear images to be formed, as no light passes through the reflective surface.

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