What does a light ray going from denser to rarer medium with an angle of incidence greater than the critical angle of the respective mean pair do?
When a light ray moves from a denser to a rarer medium at an angle of incidence greater than the critical angle, it undergoes total internal reflection. This phenomenon occurs because the light ray cannot refract out of the denser medium and reflects back internally instead of transmitting through the interface.
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When a light ray transitions from a denser to a rarer medium at an angle of incidence greater than the critical angle, it undergoes total internal reflection (Option B). Total internal reflection happens because the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle for that specific pair of media, preventing refraction and causing the light ray to reflect back internally. This phenomenon is crucial in optics, used in applications like fiber optics for efficient transmission of signals and in prisms for separating light into its spectral components. Diffraction (Option A) is a different phenomenon where light bends around obstacles or spreads out after passing through an aperture. Refraction (Option D) occurs when light changes speed and direction upon entering a different medium. Understanding total internal reflection underscores its significance in controlling light propagation and creating optical effects in various practical applications.