Let there be light

In an infinite, flat 2D universe full of glass is a square of air. A spot source of light is located exactly in the center of the square. What part of the 2D universe is illuminated by the light ?

Notes: The refractive index of glass is n = 1.5 n = 1.5


The answer is 0.625.

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1 solution

André Hucek
Sep 26, 2017

Because light travels slower through glass than through air, then according to Snell's law:

sin α a i r sin α g l a s s = n g l a s s n a i r = n \large\frac{\sin \alpha_{air}}{\sin \alpha_{glass}} = \frac{n_{glass}}{n_{air}} = n .

The rays impact on the glass under the angles of interval 0 ° , 45 ° \langle\ang{0}, \ang{45}\rangle .

So after breaking they will impact under the angles in 0 ° , arcsin [ sin ( 45 ° ) n ] 0 ° , 28.1 ° \langle\ang{0}, \arcsin [\frac{\sin(\ang{45})}{n}]\rangle \approx \langle\ang{0}, \ang{28.1}\rangle .

Therefore the total part of the illuminated universe (on 4 sides under degrees 28.1 ° , 28.1 ° \langle\ang{-28.1}, \ang{28.1}\rangle will be:

4 2 × 28.1 ° 360 ° = 0.625 4\frac{2 \times \ang{28.1}}{\ang{360}} = \boxed{0.625}

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