Speaker
Dr.
V. Lamberti
(Università di Salerno)
Description
It is well known that the path of a light ray incident on the inner reflecting wall of a circular cavity
can be constructed by geometric means. In the present work we consider the case of a semicircular
cavity. The geometric properties of circular cavities are thus recalled, and a graphical approach is
devised to allow students to trace trajectories by a ruler-and-compass method. Subsequently,
reflection patterns in semicircular cavities are sought. It is found that the graphical method
developed for the circular cavity can still be adopted to derive the reflection patterns in the case of
semicircular cavities. Simple laboratory activities are proposed. Finally, the case of cavities with
different shapes is briefly discussed.
Primary author
Dr.
V. Lamberti
(Università di Salerno)
Co-authors
Prof.
R. De Luca
(Università di Salerno)
