Page 27 - GALIET PHYSICS BLOSSOMS II+

To explain simultaneous refraction and reflection, Newton argued that surface waves in the interface will be excited when the light particles pass, causing the waves to propagate into both surrounding media. Through this process called “resonant coupling,” the particles excite the interface waves periodically in time so that the amplitude of the oscillations increases to very large values. When these oscillations strongly compress the interface, the aether becomes rigid preventing light particles to pass, and thus they are reflected from the interface. On the other hand, in an interface “rarefraction,” (that part of the oscillation in which density is low), the light particles pass easily through, showing a refracted ray. There are many problems with this theory. For example, surface oscillations would scatter light corpuscles in many directions, and not reflect them back into one single direction.22
Weaknesses in Corpuscular Theory
According to many thinkers, including Huyghens, particle theory had its weaknesses. For example, at an interface is not an either/or scenario, that is, one never experiences refraction or reflection. Instead, both occur with the relative intensities of the two components depending on the angle of incidence. Newton’s explanations of simultaneous reflection and refraction were also unsatisfactory. For example, surface oscillations would scatter light corpuscles in many directions, and not reflect them back into one single direction.23 Newton’s corpuscular theory could not explain diffraction or bending around the corners when light passed near a solid surface. This was obvious when light passed through very thin pinholes. For example, Newton could not explain why if one makes a pinhole really small, the light’s image going through begins to widen rather than narrowing.
22 Stamp, Phillip. Optics and the Nature of Light. 2012 Class Notes. 27-28. 23 Stamp, Phillip. Optics and the Nature of Light. 2012 Class Notes. 27-28.
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