Snells law

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2 Jun 2008 01:05:13 IST

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2 Jun 2008 01:05:13 IST

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Snells law

Physics , Optics

Recently, i read few posts saying that Snells law fails for normal incidence...
I Disagree...
There are two ways of looking at it..
1)U have two media with u1/u2=u.
applying snells law, we get 0/0 form... This is indeterminate form. so, it can assume any value...
But, treating determainate forms can be complex and this is one way out- since it can assume any value, for your case it will assume the value of the refractive index you consider!!!
Its difficult to agree, but its one way out...
2)now, looking in different way,
What does an indeterminate answer imply...
It implies the case is universal and irrespective of the media chosen, which is correct.. So, snells gives an explantion.. So. it holds...

Guys, please before saying a law is invalid or questioning it, think about the person who told it.. Do you really think that Snell hadnt considered the case of normal incidence? If it didnt hold true, Snell would have probably mentioned an exception to the law... Please dont explain this to a school teacher, they will never accept.. But, i bet, you go to any proper professor and they will agree with this argument!!!

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Anand Hegde

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2 Jun 2008 08:38:03 IST

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total crap!!!!

gokul subramanian

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2 Jun 2008 08:42:28 IST

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ha ha..is this a joke??

gokul subramanian

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2 Jun 2008 08:43:18 IST

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there is completely no sense in this...indeterminate form which will get the value u want it to take???? roflmao

Anand Hegde

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2 Jun 2008 16:28:41 IST

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lmao!! :D

student.Bits

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2 Jun 2008 16:52:58 IST

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well, i knew it these comments are on the way.. but, wat about argument 2???

MUDIT

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2 Jun 2008 16:53:35 IST

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OK DUDE I THINK YOU ARE TAKING THAT POST TO SERIOUSLY
WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING ON SNELLS LAW IT WAS A STUDENTS BASED DISCUSSION. WE WERE IN NO WAY TRYING TO QUESTION THAT LAW OR GIVE ARE OWN THEORY
I REALLY CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE REASON GIVEN BY YOU
could you be more explanative in what you are trying to say y

student.Bits

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2 Jun 2008 16:58:22 IST

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well, applying snells law for case of normal incidence gives an indeteminate answer... Guys, and i hope ypu know that indeterminate means any value... This implies that a ray incident will go unrefracted for any pair for media.. So, snells law gives you correct info. hence its valid!!!

student.Bits

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2 Jun 2008 17:03:45 IST

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and so you ppl also think that snell overlooked the case of normal incidence???

no_way_out

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2 Jun 2008 17:09:55 IST

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hey nikhil , you are ravishankars student right? he explained this... No wonder ppl dont understand this much, but i thought the explanation was brilliant...

student.Bits

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2 Jun 2008 17:11:47 IST

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@no way out..
yeah, its raavi sir's explanation.. he got it from ananthan sir..
wel, that mans a genius... he has explanation for lateral inversion too..

gokul subramanian

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2 Jun 2008 18:53:12 IST

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comment by nikhil_bafna (posted on 2 Jun 2008 16:58:22 IST)
well, applying snells law for case of normal incidence gives an indeteminate answer... Guys, and i hope ypu know that indeterminate means any value... This implies that a ray incident will go unrefracted for any pair for media.. So, snells law gives you correct info. hence its valid!!!

"indeterminate" does not mean "any value"

gokul subramanian

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2 Jun 2008 18:56:53 IST

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n my dear fellow..being a physics society scholar,i no ananthan sir vey well..he did not say wat u have said...i accept raavishankar sir wud have given a proper explanation but it is certainly not the explanation tht u have given above...mayb u understood it but u have not been able to explain yourself properly here..im not saying snell's law fails..im jus saying u have not explained your view properly here

meenakshi tripathi

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2 Jun 2008 20:42:57 IST

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@nikhil .....................
the ques............was raised by me....................
i had gone thro the discussion going on over here........................
see....each n every law has some limitations.............
like from ideal gas to Hooks law have a particular failure field......
sooo...the same may goo wid the snell's law.....................

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