GSO003 Problem 5
Problem Statement
Deep-Sea Exploration: Absolute Refractive Index and Dispersion Sensor for an Unknown Liquid
Problem Statement
To investigate the optical properties of a special liquid (liquid F) filling the deep ocean of an unknown ocean planet, a sensor made of a special optical crystal was lowered into the ocean.
The key element of the sensor is a prism with an equilateral triangular cross section PQR (apex angle ∠P=60∘). The prism is fully submerged in liquid F.
A laser beam is fired from the exploration vessel into liquid F and incident on face PQ (face 1). The light refracts and travels inside the prism, then reaches face PR (face 2).
The absolute refractive index of this crystal varies with the wavelength of the incident light (dispersion), but the absolute refractive index nf of liquid F is assumed to be constant across the visible wavelength range.
Two experiments were performed:
[Experiment 1: Blue Light] For blue light, the crystal's absolute refractive index is ncB. As the angle of incidence θ0 on face PQ was gradually increased from 0∘, the angle of incidence on face PR decreased (due to geometry). When θ0 reached θ0B, the angle of incidence on face PR decreased to the critical angle for total internal reflection, and transmitted light just began to emerge from face PR into liquid F.
[Experiment 2: Red Light] For red light, the crystal's absolute refractive index is ncR. Similarly increasing θ0 from 0∘, the angle of incidence on face PQ at the moment transmitted light just begins to emerge from face PR (critical condition) is θ0R.
All light propagation occurs in the plane containing triangle PQR. The absolute refractive index nf of liquid F is greater than 1 but smaller than both ncB and ncR.
Find sinθ0R, the sine of the critical angle of incidence on face PQ for red light.
Constraints
- Prism apex angle: ∠P=60∘
- Crystal refractive index for blue light: ncB=2.8
- Crystal refractive index for red light: ncR=2.5
- Critical condition for blue light: sinθ0B=0.6
- Angle of incidence θ0 is measured from the normal (0∘≤θ0<90∘)
- nf is constant (wavelength-independent)
Input Format
The value of sinθ0R is expressed in the rationalized form:
sinθ0R=CA−Bwhere A,B,C are positive integers with gcd(A,B,C)=1, and A has no perfect-square factor greater than 1.
Give the value of A×B×C as a positive integer.
Solution
1. Geometric Relations Inside the Prism
Let θ0 be the angle of incidence and θ1 be the angle of refraction at face PQ. By Snell's law:
nfsinθ0=ncsinθ1⋯(1)Due to the 60∘ apex angle of the prism:
θ2=60∘−θ1⋯(2)where θ2 is the angle of incidence at face PR.
At the total-internal-reflection critical condition (refracted angle =90∘) at face PR:
sinθ2=ncnf⋯(3)2. Finding nf from Experiment 1
With ncB=514 and sinθ0B=53:
From (1): sinθ1B=143nf
From (3): sinθ2B=145nf
From (2) and the addition formula sinθ2B=sin(60∘−θ1B):
145nf=231−1969nf2−21⋅143nfRearranging:
2813nf=283196−9nf2 13nf=3196−9nf2Squaring: 169nf2=588−27nf2⟹196nf2=588⟹nf2=3
nf=33. Finding sinθ0R for Red Light
With ncR=25 and nf=3:
From (3): sinθ2R=5/23=523
cosθ2R=1−2512=513
From (2): θ1R=60∘−θ2R, so:
sinθ1R=23⋅513−21⋅523=1039−23From (1): 3sinθ0R=25⋅1039−23=439−23
sinθ0R=413−2So A=13, B=2, C=4 (with gcd(13,2,4)=1, and 13 is square-free).
A×B×C=13×2×4=104Answer: 104