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written by Tom Henderson
This item is a chapter in a beginning physics tutorial.  It explores the conceptual and mathematical principles governing the bending of waves as they cross the boundary between two media.  The ray nature of light is used to explain the behavior of light as it refracts, or bends, at planar and curved surfaces.  Refraction principles are combined with ray diagrams to explain how lenses produce images.

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Subjects Levels Resource Types
Optics
- Geometrical Optics
- High School
- Middle School
- Collection
- Instructional Material
= Tutorial
Appropriate Courses Categories Ratings
- Physical Science
- Conceptual Physics
- Algebra-based Physics
- AP Physics
- Activity
- New teachers
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Intended Users:
Educator
Learner
Formats:
text/html
application/flash
image/gif
Access Rights:
Free access
Restriction:
© 1996 The Physics Classroom
Keywords:
Snell's Law, eye, geometrical optics, human eye, lenses, optics, prisms, ray diagrams, refraction
Record Cloner:
Metadata instance created December 12, 2006 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:
August 3, 2016 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
December 20, 2004

This resource is part of a Physics Front Topical Unit.


Topic: Nature and Behavior of Light
Unit Title: Ray Optics -- Reflection and Refraction of Light

This beginning tutorial explores the conceptual and mathematical principles governing the bending of waves as they cross the boundary between two media.    Refraction principles are combined with ray diagrams to explain how lenses produce images.

Link to Unit:
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Record Link
AIP Format
T. Henderson, (1996), WWW Document, (https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/refrn).
AJP/PRST-PER
T. Henderson, The Physics Classroom: Refraction and the Ray Model of Light (1996), <https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/refrn>.
APA Format
Henderson, T. (2004, December 20). The Physics Classroom: Refraction and the Ray Model of Light. Retrieved September 15, 2024, from https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/refrn
Chicago Format
Henderson, Tom. The Physics Classroom: Refraction and the Ray Model of Light. December 20, 2004. https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/refrn (accessed 15 September 2024).
MLA Format
Henderson, Tom. The Physics Classroom: Refraction and the Ray Model of Light. 1996. 20 Dec. 2004. 15 Sep. 2024 <https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/refrn>.
BibTeX Export Format
@misc{ Author = "Tom Henderson", Title = {The Physics Classroom: Refraction and the Ray Model of Light}, Volume = {2024}, Number = {15 September 2024}, Month = {December 20, 2004}, Year = {1996} }
Refer Export Format

%A Tom Henderson %T The Physics Classroom: Refraction and the Ray Model of Light %D December 20, 2004 %U https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/refrn %O text/html

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %A Henderson, Tom %D December 20, 2004 %T The Physics Classroom: Refraction and the Ray Model of Light %V 2024 %N 15 September 2024 %8 December 20, 2004 %9 text/html %U https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/refrn


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Citation Source Information

The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References.

The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation.

The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ.

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