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54

:(3) A rarer medium with a concave surface, Fig. 68 .

(4) A rarer medium with a convex surface, Fig. 69.

In all these figures is the incident ray cutting the axis in ; the refracted ray cutting in . is the centre of the surface.

Let ,

Then

76. It is not possible to obtain a general, simple, algebraical expression from this, but if merely the ultimate value of be required, that is, the limit of its value when the angle is diminished sine limite, we may put , for , for [1]; we have then

that is, (Case1, 3.)


  1. There is one case in which has but one value, all the rays being refracted accurately so as to meet in a single point ; it is when
    (Fig.66.) Then since
    The triangles are therefore similar, and , and is consequently the same for all points .
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