It will be demonstrated how the reflection law may be derived on an atomic basis using the plane wave approximation together with Huygens’ principle. The model utilized is based on the electric dipole character of matter originating from its molecular constituents. This approach is not new but has, since it was first introduced by Ewald and Oseen in 1915, been applied and analyzed many times before. Here we develop the Ewald-Oseen model of reflection adapted for high school and early undergraduate students with a basic knowledge of microscopic material structure.
References
1.
P. P.
Ewald
, “Zur Begruendung der Kristalloptik
,” Ann. Phys.
49
, 1
(1916
).2.
C. W.
Oseen
, “Ueber die Wechselwirkung zwischen elektrischen Dipolen und ueber die Drehung der Polarisationsebene in Kristallen und Fluessigkeiten
,” Ann. Phys.
48
, 1
(1915
).3.
E.
Lalor
and E.
Wolf
, “Exact solution of the equations of molecular optics for refraction and reflection of an electromagnetic wave on a semi-infinite dielectric
,” J. Opt. Soc. A.
62
, 1165
(1972
).4.
H.
Fearn
, D. F. V.
James
, and P. W.
Milloi
, “Microscopic approach to reflection, transmission, and the Ewald–Oseen extinction theorem
,” Am. J. Phys.
64
, 986
(Aug.
1996
).5.
F.
Carreno
and M.
Anton
, “The index of refraction in linear anisotropic media
,” Eur. J. Phys.
20
, 443
(1999
).6.
W.
Shu
et al., “Extinction theorem and propagation of electromagnetic waves between two semi-infinite anisotropic magnetoelectric materials
,” arXiv:physics/0609224v2 [physics.optics].7.
NASA Educational Product
, “Optics: Light, color and their uses
,” http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/58258mainOptics.Guide.pdf.8.
R. P
Feynman
, R. B.
Leighton
, and M. L.
Sands
, The Feynman Lectures on Physics
, Vol. 1
(Addison-Wesley
, Reading, MA
, 1989
).9.
A.
Montwill
and A.
Breslin
, Let There Be Light
(Imperial College Press
, London
, 2013
).10.
11.
12.
13.
P. S.
Hewitt
, J.
Suchocki
, and L. A.
Hewitt
, Conceptual Physical Science
(Addison Wesley Longman
, 1999
).14.
15.
C. H.
Holbrow
, J. N.
Lloyd
, and J. L.
Amato
, Modern Introductory Physics
(Springer
, New York
, 1999
).16.
17.
18.
N.
Yu
et al., “Light propagation with phase discontinuities: Generalized laws of reflection and refraction
,” Sci.
334
, 333
(2011
).19.
M. B.
James
and D. J.
Griffiths
, “Why the speed of light is reduced in a transparent medium
,” Am. J. Phys.
60
, 309
(April
1992
).© 2016 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2016
American Association of Physics Teachers
AAPT members receive access to The Physics Teacher and the American Journal of Physics as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.