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63 changes: 63 additions & 0 deletions physics/snells_law.py
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
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import math


def calculate_refraction_angle(
index_of_refraction_1: float,
index_of_refraction_2: float,
incident_angle_degrees: float,
) -> float:
"""
Calculates the refraction angle of light passing from one medium to another.
The law states that, for a given pair of media, the ratio of the sines
of angle of incidence and angle of refraction s equal to the refractive
index of the second medium with regard to the first which is equal to the
ratio of the refractive indices of the two media, or equivalently, to the
ratio of the phase velocities in the two media.


Formula: n1 * sin(theta1) = n2 * sin(theta2)
or : (sin(theta1) / sin(theta2)) = (n2 / n1)
Where:
n1 = refractive index of the first medium
n2 = refractive index of the second medium
theta1 = angle of incidence
theta2 = angle of refraction

Note: Total Internal Reflection (TIR) occurs when light travels from a
denser medium to a rarer medium and the incident angle exceeds the
critical angle, making refraction impossible.

Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snell%27s_law

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

>>> calculate_refraction_angle(1.0, 1.33, 60.0)
40.63
>>> calculate_refraction_angle(2.0, 1.0, 30.0)
90.0
>>> calculate_refraction_angle(1.33, 1.0, 60.0)
Traceback (most recent call last):
...
ValueError: Total Internal Reflection occurred.
>>> calculate_refraction_angle(-1.33, 1.0, 60.0)
Traceback (most recent call last):
...
ValueError: Invalid physical inputs: ratio cannot be less than -1.

"""

incident_angle_radians = math.radians(incident_angle_degrees)
refraction_sine = (index_of_refraction_1 / index_of_refraction_2) * math.sin(
incident_angle_radians
)

if refraction_sine > 1:
raise ValueError("Total Internal Reflection occurred.")
if refraction_sine < -1:
raise ValueError("Invalid physical inputs: ratio cannot be less than -1.")
if math.isclose(refraction_sine, 1.0):
return 90.0

refraction_angle = round(math.degrees(math.asin(refraction_sine)), 2)
return refraction_angle