Principle of reversibility

The principle of reversibility states that light will follow exactly the same path if its direction of travel is reversed.

Hence:

reverse_1.jpg (3289 bytes)

reverse_2.jpg (3231 bytes)

Using Snell's Law,

sin i
sin r

= 1n2

sin r
sin i

= 2n1

It follows that

1n2=

1
2n1