The Atomic Origin of the Reflection Law

• Kjell Prytz ^[1]
  1. [1] Mälardalen University

     Mälardalen University

     Suecia

     
• Localización: The Physics Teacher, ISSN 0031-921X, Vol. 54, Nº. 9, 2016, págs. 535-537
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • It will be demonstrated how the reflection law may be derived on an atomic basis using the plane wave approximation together with Huygens’ principle. The model utilized is based on the electric dipole character of matter originating from its molecular constituents. This approach is not new but has, since it was first introduced by Ewald and Oseen in 1915, been applied and analyzed many times before. Here we develop the Ewald-Oseen model of reflection adapted for high school and early undergraduate students with a basic knowledge of microscopic material structure.