How to use the light lateral displacement in a glass slab calculator
Find how far a light ray is shifted sideways after passing through a parallel glass slab. Enter slab thickness, angle of incidence, refractive index in the fields above; the refraction angle inside slab, lateral displacement of beam are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Common searches this calculator answers include “glass block displacement”, “ray shift in slab”, “lateral displacement”, “calculate light lateral displacement in a glass slab”, “find refraction angle inside slab”.
Formula
Variables
- t — Slab thickness (cm)
- th1 — Angle of incidence (°)
- n — Refractive index
Worked example
With slab thickness = 2 cm, angle of incidence = 40 °, refractive index = 1.5, the calculator gives refraction angle inside slab ≈ 25.37399 °; lateral displacement of beam ≈ 0.5589379 cm.
Frequently asked questions
What is the light lateral displacement in a glass slab calculator used for?
Find how far a light ray is shifted sideways after passing through a parallel glass slab. It helps with questions such as “glass block displacement”, “ray shift in slab”, “lateral displacement”.
What is the formula for the light lateral displacement in a glass slab calculation?
Refraction angle inside slab (°) = asin(sin(th1) / n). Lateral displacement of beam (cm) = t × sin(th1-[Refraction angle inside slab]) / cos([Refraction angle inside slab]). Here t is slab thickness (cm), th1 is angle of incidence (°), n is refractive index.
What inputs do I need for the light lateral displacement in a glass slab calculator?
You need slab thickness in cm, angle of incidence in °, refractive index. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use the light lateral displacement in a glass slab calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the light lateral displacement in a glass slab result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.