Question

�Mirage� is a phenomenone due to

• A. total internal reflection of light
• B. refraction of light
• C. reflection of light
• D. diffraction of light

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Mirage is a phenomenon observed due to the total internal reflection of light when light travels from a denser medium to a rarer medium. When the angle of incidence of light is more than the critical angle for the two adjacent media, the light gets totally internally reflected.

Answer 2

Ans. The phenomenon of mirage is caused by the complete internal reflection of light. Total internal reflection occurs at the interface of the two media when light travels from an optically denser medium to an optically rarer medium when the angle of incidence is equal to or higher than the critical angle. 

• As a result of air refraction and complete internal reflection, mirage creates the false appearance of a layer of water in a desert or on a road at close ranges.
• On a hot day, light from the sky that penetrates the high-temperature layer (rarer medium) through the low-temperature layer (denser medium) is refracted. Through the high-temperature layer, the light is also subject to complete internal reflection.
• Thus, Mirage serves as an illustration of both complete internal reflection and atmospheric refraction.

When a light beam moves from an optically denser to an optically rarer medium, a process known as total internal reflection takes place. The departure angle of the light is larger than the incident angle when light is incident on a material with a lower refractive index because the beam of light is bent away from the normal. "Internal reflection" is the term used to describe this reflection.

• If the incidence angle is larger than the critical angle, the entire internal reflection will occur, and the exit angle will then begin to approach 90°.
• 
• The angle of refraction is larger than the angle of incidence when light enters from a denser to a rarer medium because it bends away from the normal.
• The majority of the light is refracted when the angle of incidence is smaller since both reflection and refraction take place.
• Total internal reflection is a phenomenon when all of the light is returned to the dense medium itself.
• As a result, the pictures produced are brighter than those produced by lenses or mirrors.
• This is due to the fact that light intensity is always reduced when it is refracted via a lens or reflected off a mirror.
• The critical angle (ic) is the angle of incidence that results when the angle of refraction is 90 degrees.
• The incident beam of light is reflected back to the medium when the critical angle is lower than the angle of incidence.
   
• If the incidence angle is larger than the critical angle, the entire internal reflection will occur, and the exit angle will then begin to approach 90°.