Light Ray Lab

Explore reflection and refraction at a boundary between two materials

Drag the laser to change angle

Angle of incidence

45°

Angle of reflection

45°

Angle of refraction

32°

Material 1 Air (n=1.00)

Material 2 Glass (n=1.50)

Snell's Law: n₁ sin(θ₁) = n₂ sin(θ₂)
When light travels from a material with lower refractive index to one with higher refractive index, it bends toward the normal. When going from higher to lower, it bends away from the normal.