Re: [Phys-l] Snell's law, critical angle and Huygen's construction

[curtis osterhoudt <flutzpah@yahoo.com>]

If I read you correctly, you wanted to solve the min. deviation equation for 
delta; I get


delta = 2 asin(n*sin(sigma/2)) - sigma;

In general, with m an integer and csc(sigma/2) != 0 (which can happen for sigma 
going to a very large negative imaginary number -- don't laugh!; things get 
complex in situations with evanescent waves), we have:

  delta = -sigma + 2pi - 2 asin( n sin(sigma/2)) + 4pi*m   and

   delta  = -sigma + 2 asin( n sin(sigma/2)) + 4pi*m







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________________________________
From: Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@redshift.com>
To: Forum for Physics Educators <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>
Sent: Fri, September 17, 2010 2:53:43 PM
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Snell's law, critical angle and Huygen's construction

Link:

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geoopt/prism.html

On 2010, Sep 17, , at 12:58, Bernard Cleyet wrote:

> p.s. when N < 1 is substituted in the formula for prism min. deviation, the 
> deviation is negative, as expected.  BTW, I couldn't solve the eq.**  for the 
> deviation, and didn't find by googling -- anyone know?
>
> **  Prisms
> _____

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