What is Ray of Light?
Light is a form of Electromagnetic Radiation of any Wavelength whether it is visible or not.
Light is made up of small packets of energy called Photons, consisting of Waves of
Electromagnetic Radiations. Photons do not possess any charge or resting mass and travel at
the speed of Light. In Physics and optics, an idealized model of Light drawn as a straight line
is called a Light Ray. A Light Ray is always drawn with an arrow that implies the direction of
the energy flow. Light Rays are nothing but a model explaining the movements of Light from
one point to another. A group of Light Rays or a Light Beam, coming out from a source of
Light is known as a point source.
Different Types of Beams of Light
Beams of Light can be of 3 types. They are parallel, convergent and divergent.
Parallel: When Rays from a distant point source travel parallel to each other in a particular
direction, it forms a parallel Light Beam. The sun Ray is an example of a parallel Beam of
Light.
Convergent: In a convergent Beam, the Light Rays from a source of Light, eventually meet or
converge to a point.
Divergent: In a divergent Beam, the Light Rays disperse away from a source of Light.
Reflection of Light
Light Rays change their direction while moving from one medium or when they are reflected
off a surface. The law of Reflection states that a Light Ray reflecting off an even surface has
an equal angle of incidence and angle of Reflection.
Refraction of Light
When a Light Ray travels from one transparent medium to another transparent medium, a
portion of the Light is reflected and another portion of the Light is transmitted into the second
transparent medium, changing the direction of the Light. This phenomenon is defined as the
Refraction of Light.
The law of Refraction or Snell's law states that the ratio of the sine of angles of incidence and
Refraction is equal to the ratio of the refractive index of the first and the second media
respectively.
Mathematical Form
ratio of sin θ 1 and sin θ2 (sin θ1 / sin θ2 ) = ratio of refractive index (n1 / n2 )
or,
n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2
Where,
θ1 = angle of incidence
θ2 = angle of Refraction
The index of Refraction of medium 1 and 2 are n 1 and n2 , respectively
A Light Ray from a Lighter medium when entered into a denser medium bends towards the
normal of the surface. On the other hand, a Ray emerging from a denser medium entering into
a Lighter medium bends away from the normal. When the incident Ray is equal to the normal
of the surface, the direction of the Light stays unaltered as it enters into the second medium.
Index of Refraction
The ratio of the speed of Light in a vacuum to its speed in that particular medium is known as
the refractive index or index of Refraction. For example, the refractive index for a vacuum is
always 1. The refractive index of air (standard conditions) is 1.0003, water is 1.3, and that of
glass is 1.5.
By the law of Reflection and the law of Refraction, you can understand how a Light Ray travels.
The law of Reflection can be used to understand the images produced by different types of
mirrors like a plane mirror, concave and convex mirrors. Whereas, Snell’s law can be used in
lenses. For example, a human eye.
Light can be described as an Electromagnetic Wave where the straight-line paths that are
followed by narrow Beams of Light through which Light energy travels are commonly known
as Rays. Light travels in straight lines but its direction can be changed by Reflection or
Refraction. Light is made up of energy called photons, which consists of Waves of
Electromagnetic Radiation. A model which explains the movement of Light from one place to
another is what Light Ray is.
Different Types of Light Rays
There are three different types of Light Beams, namely Parallel. Convergent and Divergent A
Beam of Light Rays that are given out from a source is known as a Beam of Light.
While moving from one medium, or when Light is reflected off a surface, Light Rays change
their direction. On Reflection from a smooth surface, the angle of the Ray that is reflected is
equal to the incident Ray's angle. This law of Reflection is used to understand the complex
images that are produced by the plane and the curved mirrors.
A Ray of Light travels from one transparent medium to another, and one portion of the Light
is reflected, and another portion of the Light is transmitted to another second transparent
medium - this phenomenon is known as Refraction.
The law of Refraction is also known as Snell's law.
With the help of certain mathematical formulas, the various problems on Light, a Ray of Light
and a Beam of Light, can all be solved.
