can you explain how reflection and refraction are related and how they are similiar?

Answer 1

Reflection and refraction are in no way similar. The Refractive Index of a material is a pure number expressing the ratio of the velocity of light through the substance to the velocity of light through air. Reflectivity is simply the degree to which a substance reflects light and this can depend on many things, the major one being the degree to which the surface has been polished and its level of cleanliness.

Fresnel's simplified equation describing the reflectivity of a transparent ISOTROPIC mineral in air states that for normal incidence,
R = I / Io = (n-a)2 / (n+a)2

R = gem's reflectivity
I = the intensity of the reflected beam
Io = the intensity of the incident beam
n = the R.I. of the gem
a = the R.I.of air.

This indicates that the R.I. of a gem can only be used to calculate the POTENTIAL reflecting power of a gem, it is the chemical composition and atomic structure which actually determines it together with its dispersion and an quality of mechanical polish.

The reflectivity meters available today are good indicators of a stones R.I. (they are calibrated in R.I. units) but it must be realized that these figures are an extrapolation and not an actual reading and as such are subject to a number of potential problems such as a scratched surface, a minute amount of grease from a finger mark and the wide variation of dispersion among the gems likely to be tested etc.

Hope this helps a little.

Answer 2

Both reflection and refraction are a very valuable source of the identification of a mineral species .(light) Both of which is the process of applying light to the surface of a gem . Reflection when applied to the crown of a gem will bounce off the opposite direction at the angle which is exactly equal to the angle in which it hit the stone . Now Refraction when applied to the surface of a gem, enters into the gem at an oblique direction. instead of travelling straight through the gem its path becomes altered , thus bending the ray is refraction . The measurement of the angle of the light it reflects is light refraction.. In the process of this test a positive identification of any gem species when it is checked against the Table of Refractive Ind ices. Each gem has its own refractive index .

Answer 3

Both are associated with light paths and refraction becomes reflection at the critical angle.

Answer 4

www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/physics/u2b12phy.html - 9k -