Calculating Critical Angle: Relative vs. Absolute Refractive Index

[Samurai44]

Greetings,
Do we use Absloute refractive index when finding crtical angle ?

if it was two mediums ( not vacuum or air) how would i calculate the critical angle ? I mean i get confused when I find relative refractive index because sometimes i get sine inverse greater than 1 which give no solution .

Thank you in advance.

 

[blue_leaf77]

Snell's law reads as ##n_1 \sin{\theta_1} = n_2 \sin{\theta_2} ##. Now if we assume ##n_1## to be greater than ##n_2## and ##\theta_2 = 90^0##, what will you end up with?
What can you then conclude for the requirement for ##n_1## and ##n_2## so that total internal reflection which is associated with critical angle can take place?

 

[Samurai44]

Snell's law reads as ##n_1 \sin{\theta_1} = n_2 \sin{\theta_2} ##. Now if we assume ##n_1## to be greater than ##n_2## and ##\theta_2 = 90^0##, what will you end up with?
What can you then conclude for the requirement for ##n_1## and ##n_2## so that total internal reflection which is associated with critical angle can take place?

it will end up with ##n_1 \sin{\theta_1} = n_2 ? , n₁ is denser than n₂ since its greater than
I know the fact that critical angle occurs only from denser medium to less dense , and that's why I get confused when I find relative refractive index

 

[blue_leaf77]

I know the fact that critical angle occurs only from denser medium to less dense ,

If you had known this, then why would you get sine inverse greater than one when calculating a critical angle?