It was great to see Mr Newton’s A Level physicists in action on Wednesday morning of this week and see them completing an engaging experiment to explore the properties related to how light travels through a semicircular glass prism. Using light boxes, and with the lab darkened to enhance the light rays, they were also determining the critical angle where total internal reflection took place when the waves fully reflected inside the prism and the glass block turned into a mirror.

They were able to explain their findings to me and clearly understood the concept that refraction through a semi-circular prism occurs when light enters the curved side perpendicularly and refracts at the flat diameter boundary. They also explained that as light moves from denser glass to less dense air, it bends away from the normal, with the angle of refraction exceeding the incidence angle.

We continue to wish our top scientist every success as they move closer towards the end of their two year course in the BMS Sixth Form.