What term describes a refracted ray with an angle of 90 degrees when approaching the critical angle?

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Multiple Choice

What term describes a refracted ray with an angle of 90 degrees when approaching the critical angle?

When a ray reaches the critical angle, the refracted beam just grazes the interface, making 90° with the normal and traveling along the boundary between the two media. That limiting case defines the critical angle, and the refracted ray at that exact angle is called the critical ray. This marks the boundary between refraction and total internal reflection: if the incident angle is smaller, you get a refracted ray at an angle less than 90°; if it’s larger, there is no refracted ray and all light is reflected. Brewster’s angle concerns polarization of the reflected beam and isn’t about a 90° refracted ray. So the term for a refracted ray at 90° approaching the critical angle is the critical ray.

When a ray reaches the critical angle, the refracted beam just grazes the interface, making 90° with the normal and traveling along the boundary between the two media. That limiting case defines the critical angle, and the refracted ray at that exact angle is called the critical ray. This marks the boundary between refraction and total internal reflection: if the incident angle is smaller, you get a refracted ray at an angle less than 90°; if it’s larger, there is no refracted ray and all light is reflected. Brewster’s angle concerns polarization of the reflected beam and isn’t about a 90° refracted ray. So the term for a refracted ray at 90° approaching the critical angle is the critical ray.

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