Can somebody explain, what happens with the atoms of the inner structure of medium 2? (Not just the atoms of the lattice).
If I could correctly interprete your question, it is when the 2ndary wavelets start expanding in the 2nd medium (after the light beam is incident on the 1st and 2nd medium interface),they change their velocity of propagation.And this is commonly known as refraction of light.You asked hwat happens to the atoms of the medium. The question has some answer and you can appreciate if you are familiar with EM theory of light.Light beam,viewed as a large collection of photons, behaves like an EM wave.So, it is different from the waves as you will see in the Huygen's Principle of a physical optics book.It has associated with it E and B field vectors always. So, as it enters the 2nd medium,with its propagation,the associated E and B fields excite the nearby clouds of charges.In a solid,the atoms would not move to an appreciable extent.But the electron cloud start vibration about a mean position.
Yes, that's was my point. Thanks for correcting me. Now, I know what happens with the atoms on the surface of medium 2 when interacted with light. They release EM circular waves. So that's how the light is reflected and refracted. I want to know, is this also happening on the inner structure atoms of the medium 2?
In principle, the inner particles oscillate about their mean position and they radiate (though I am not sure of this).The radiated light will be of the same wavelength, but much reduced in inensity.Possibly while doing experiments of refraction using glass plates, we observe the this light.Another familiar example is the picture of under-sea water as shown in Discovery Channel.Remember that we do not see the light itself,but the body as the light emitted from the bulk of body reaches our eyes. Possibly above is correct.But anyone with better knowledge is welcome to suggest the answer to thsi question if my argument is wrong anyway.
You know about free electron recoil? They recoil in bound states too, and any solid lattice vibrates - some of the incident absorbed radiation is converted into motion of the molecular structure.
Because amplitude has already been divided for reflection and refraction in the interface.And intensity is proportional to amplitude squared.
But in that case, there will be produced another light beam. Like on this picture. img117.imageshack.us/img117/5210/30747037zg9.jpg (Please copy/paste it in the browser)
as far as Huygen's principle is concerned, the light will proceed in a single direction.To light wave there are associated E and B fields, which drive the immediate neighbour charged clouds into oscillation.Now, the force constants being different in different directions,the oscillation of the charge-centres may be of many types.You may visualize an atom in a 3D crystal as bound by springs of different spring constants in x,y and z directions.It may happen that the spring constants are different along different directions.The oscillation of the charge cloud is a resultant of all such oscillations.Each oscillation leads to different radiations---in different directions,due to different spring constants.So, you may get light of more than one colour.All these charge centres lie near the path of the ray inside the matter. It depends on the relative variation of spring constants in different directions.If you take an object with isotropic and homogeneous matter, you should get one ray.
But, is it my picture up in there correct? Are there also other direction of light in the inner structure?
This is not a matter of great importance...So,I do not think you have to worry about precisely what is happening inside the matter.And it depends on the inner struture---the spring constants and may vary from one body to another.
Because they have reflection co-efficient greater than refreaction co-efficient. "Ask next question to Mr. Huygens"
Don't forget that the vibrations (which are like charges that recoil - protons react to the electric field of light as do electrons) are the equivalent of heat and infrared radiation. The temperature of the lattice goes up slightly.
Yes.I forgot to mention that. Thus some energy of the incident radiation gets lost due to heating up the body.This is known as absorption.
Hello all Types of refection should be considered in the context of surface plasmons when discussing the causes of reflection. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
