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The critical angle is not the same thing as the angle of incidence.

There is a reason the confusion. The critical angle is defined as the smallest angle of incidence which results in total internal reflection.

Every plane wave incident on a flat surface has an angle of incidence. That can be any angle. When a wave travels from a dense medium to a less dense medium, there comes an angle of incidence where there is no transmission into the less dense medium. We say then that for an angle of incidence above the "critical angle" the result is total internal reflection.

It is also true that with Snell's law, the critical angle is the particular angle of incidence which would result in a 90 degree angle of refraction.

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Q: Is the critical angle the same thing as the angle of incidence?
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Related questions

When a light ray is reflected by a mirror is the angle of the light ray and the reflected ray different or the same?

Angle of Incidence = Angle of ReflectionThis is only true if the angle of incidence is greaterthan the critical angle.


When angle of incidence is equal to angle of refraction?

When the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of refraction, it means that the light is traveling from one medium to another with the same refractive index. This condition is known as the critical angle, and beyond this point, total internal reflection occurs.


Does the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection change as the angle of incidence increases?

No, the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection remains the same regardless of the angle of incidence. This relationship is governed by the law of reflection, which states that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.


How is the angle of incidence of light ray related to the angle of reflection?

For a smooth surface, the angle of incidence is the same as the angle of reflection.


Is the angle of reflection the same as the angle of incidence?

Yes.


Are every angle of incidence the same?

No, the angle of incidence can vary depending on the orientation of the light source and the surface it is hitting. Angle of incidence refers to the angle at which light hits a surface.


What is the best angle of incidents?

The angle of incidence is the angle of which it item is reflected, this leads us on to the fact that the angle of incidence will always be the same as the angle of reflection.


What is the size of the angle of incidence and reflection?

The size of the angle of incidence is equal to the size of the angle of reflection. This is known as the law of reflection, where the angle of incidence is measured between the incident ray and the normal, and the angle of reflection is measured between the reflected ray and the normal.


Is the angle of reflection the same like angle of incidence?

yes it is


Is the angle of incidence the same as angle of refraction?

No, the angle of incidence is the angle between the incident ray and the normal line, while the angle of refraction is the angle between the refracted ray and the normal line. In general, these angles are not the same, except in the case of normal incidence where they are both zero.


What effect does the angle of incidence have on the angle of reflection?

The angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence, as stated in the law of reflection. This means that when light or a wave hits a surface at a specific angle (angle of incidence), it will bounce off the surface at the same angle (angle of reflection).


State 2 laws of reflection?

The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection, meaning that the angle at which a light ray strikes a surface is the same as the angle at which it is reflected. The incident ray, the normal to the surface at the point of incidence, and the reflected ray all lie on the same plane, known as the plane of incidence.