Physics Project File
Topic: Total Internal Reflection (TIR)
and Its Applications
Name: Krish Shekhawat
Class: XII – Science A
Subject: Physics
School: APS, Jaipur
Session: 2025–26
Index
1. Introduction
2. Critical Angle
3. Total Internal Reflection (TIR)
4. Conditions for Total Internal Reflection
5. Applications of TIR
a. Bending of Light by 90° and 180°
b. Optical Fibre
c. Mirage
6. Conclusion
❖ Introduction
Light exhibits various phenomena such as reflection, refraction,
dispersion, and total internal reflection. Among these, Total Internal
Reflection (TIR) is a significant concept, having many technological
and natural applications. This project focuses on the concept of TIR,
the critical angle, and its uses in our daily life and modern
technologies.
1. Critical Angle
When a ray of light travels from a denser medium (like glass or
water) to a rarer medium (like air), it bends away from the normal.
As the angle of incidence increases, the angle of refraction also
increases. At a particular angle of incidence, the angle of refraction
becomes 90°. This particular angle of incidence is called the critical
angle.
Definition: The critical angle is the angle of incidence in the denser
medium for which the angle of refraction in the rarer medium
becomes 90°.
• Formula: -
If light is going from a medium with refractive index n1 to n2 (where
n1> n2), then:
Sin C = n2/n1
where C is the critical angle.
2. Total Internal Reflection (TIR)
When the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle, the light ray
is not refracted into the rarer medium. Instead, it gets entirely
reflected back into the denser medium. This phenomenon is called
Total Internal Reflection.
Definition: Total Internal Reflection is the phenomenon in which a
light ray, traveling from a denser to a rarer medium, is completely
reflected back into the denser medium when the angle of incidence
is greater than the critical angle.
3. Conditions for Total Internal Reflection
For TIR to occur, the following two conditions must be satisfied:
1. Light must travel from a denser medium to a rarer medium.
(e.g., from glass to air, or water to air)
2. The angle of incidence must be greater than the critical angle
for the pair of media.
4. Applications of TIR
a) To bend light by 90° or 180°
By using specially designed prisms, we can use total internal
reflection to bend light by 90° or even 180°. These prisms are used in:
• Periscopes
• Binoculars
• Cameras
Example: 90° Deviation
A right-angled isosceles prism can deviate a ray of light by 90° using
two total internal reflections.
Example: 180° Deviation
A retroreflector or corner cube prism uses TIR to reflect light back
along its incident direction (180° deviation), used in road signs and
reflectors.
b) Optical Fibre
An optical fibre is a flexible, transparent fibre made of glass or
plastic. It works on the principle of total internal reflection. Light
entering one end of the fibre is reflected repeatedly from the walls
(as the core has a higher refractive index than the cladding), allowing
it to travel long distances with very low loss.
Uses:
• High-speed internet (broadband)
• Medical endoscopy
• Telecommunications
c) Mirage
A mirage is a natural optical illusion observed in deserts or hot roads.
It is caused due to TIR of light.
• On hot days, the ground is very hot and heats the air above it.
• The hot air near the surface has lower refractive index than the
cooler air above.
• Light from the sky bends gradually (due to refraction) and
• finally undergoes total internal reflection, reaching the
observer’s eyes.
As a result, it appears as if water is present on the road, but it's just
the reflected sky.
5. Conclusion
Total Internal Reflection is a fascinating phenomenon of light,
showing how light can be trapped or guided efficiently in various
ways. Understanding TIR has led to the development of numerous
technologies such as optical fibres, prisms in optical instruments,
and even natural illusions like mirages. This topic combines
theoretical knowledge with practical applications, making it an
essential part of optics in Physics.
