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For the self-gravitating incompressible slab, let the fluid occupy $-H<z<H$, with mass density ${\rho }_0=\Sigma /(2H)$ and a vacuum exterior. Poisson equation and hydrostatic equilibrium giveA constant ambient pressure could be added without changing the result. Choose perturbations proportional to $e^{ikx-i\omega t}$, using rotational symmetry in the horizontal plane to put the wavevector along $x$.

For the fluid displacement, the linearized momentum equation inside the uniform slab is $-{\omega }^2\mathbf{\xi }=-\nabla (p^{\prime }/{\rho }_0+{\varphi }^{\prime })$. For $\omega \ne 0$ it follows that $\mathbf{\xi }=\nabla \chi$, with $p^{\prime }/{\rho }_0+{\varphi }^{\prime }={\omega }^2\chi$. Incompressibility gives $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{\xi }=0$, henceNeutral limits of these surface modes follow by continuity. Stationary vorticity perturbations form a separate zero-frequency sector; the nonzero-frequency surface modes are irrotational by the momentum equation itself, without an extra irrotational-flow assumption.

The Eulerian mass density perturbation vanishes in the bulk because the equilibrium mass density is uniform and the displacement is divergence free. If the two vertical surface displacements are ${\eta }_{+}={\xi }_z(H)$ and ${\eta }_{-}={\xi }_z(-H)$, the surface density perturbation of a displaced uniform interface givesThus Poisson equation reduces to Laplace equation for ${\varphi }^{\prime }$ inside and outside. The potential is continuous, while integrating through each surface givesThe perturbing potential must decay at vertical infinity. The kinematic conditions are ${\eta }_{\pm }={\partial }_z\chi (\pm H)$. The free surface pressure condition is the vanishing Lagrangian pressure perturbation, $p^{\prime }+{\eta }_{\pm }{p}_0^{\prime }=0$; at the top this gives $p^{\prime }(H)/{\rho }_0=g_s{\eta }_{+}$.

Put $q=kH>0$. For even scalar-potential symmetry, chooseThen ${\eta }_{-}=-{\eta }_{+}$: this is a thickness-changing mode, not a vertical bending mode. Write $\eta ={\eta }_{+}$; the top derivative jump gives $-kC(\cosh q+\sinh q)=4\pi G{\rho }_0\eta$. Since $\cosh q+\sinh q=e^q$,Substitute these values into ${\omega }^2\chi (H)=g_s\eta +{\varphi }^{\prime }(H)$. Using $4\pi G{\rho }_0=g_s/H$ gives the even-mode dispersion relation for the surface modes of a self-gravitating incompressible slab:The positive term comes from the restoring hydrostatic free-surface pressure in the background gravitational field. The negative term is the attraction due to the perturbed gravitational potential of the displaced surfaces, which tends to reinforce the disturbance. Both effects ultimately involve the slab's gravity, but enter the boundary condition through different terms.

For odd scalar-potential symmetry, instead takeNow ${\eta }_{-}={\eta }_{+}$, so the surfaces bend in the same direction. The jump again gives $C=-4\pi G{\rho }_0\eta /(k{e}^q)$, but $\chi (H)=\eta \tanh q/k$ and ${\varphi }^{\prime }(H)=-4\pi G{\rho }_0\eta /[k(1+\coth q)]$. The same pressure condition yieldsThe bottom kinematic, jump and pressure conditions follow with the indicated parity and give the same dispersion relation, so no boundary condition has been discarded.

To determine the gravitational instability of an incompressible slab, factor the two dimensionless expressions asFor the even mode the bracket is strictly increasing, with derivative $1+e^{-2q}>0$, is negative at zero and tends to positive infinity. It therefore has a unique positive zeroThe even mode is unstable for $0<kH<q_c$, neutral at $q_c$, and oscillatory for $kH>q_c$. Negative ${\omega }_e^2$ gives a growing mode with $\omega =i\sqrt{-{\omega }_e^2}$ under the stated time convention. For the odd mode, $1-e^{-2q}<2q$ for every $q>0$, so the bracket is always positive: all odd modes with positive wavenumber are stable.

At long wavelengths $F_e=-q+2q^2+O(q^3)$ and $F_o=q-2q^2/3+O(q^3)$: a thickness or column-density disturbance has a gravitational instability, whereas a bending disturbance is restored. At short wavelengths both approach $q-1/2$, so both surface branches are stable. The slab equilibrium is therefore linearly unstable overall, because it admits the long-wavelength even modes despite the stability of its odd sector.

The hydrostatic approximation gives $p=\rho g(h-z)$ above the horizontal floor, up to atmospheric pressure. The horizontal Stokes flow equation is $\mu {\mathbf{u}}_{zz}=\rho g\nabla h$, with the no-slip boundary condition at $z=0$ and zero tangential stress on the free surface. Integrating twice gives $\mathbf{u}=(\rho g/\mu )\nabla h(z^2/2-hz)$ and the lubrication gravity-current fluxFor the squeegee lubrication model, use $h_0$ vertically, $\ell =\rho g{h}_0^3/(\mu U)$ horizontally, and $\ell /U$ in time. If $X$ is the laboratory coordinate in the direction of travel, set $x=(X-Ut)/\ell$, $y=Y/\ell$, $t=U{t}_{\mathrm{lab}}/\ell$, and $h=h_{\mathrm{lab}}/h_0$. The blade half-length is $\alpha =L/\ell$. The moving-frame flux is $\mathbf{q}=-h{\mathbf{e}}_x-h^3\nabla h/3$. Conservation of volume gives the dimensionless lubrication equationUsing these scales as representative of the actual flow, lubrication theory requires a small aspect ratio and negligible inertia relative to vertical viscous resistance:The second is the Reynolds number based on $h_0$, multiplied by $h_0/\ell$. Surface tension is neglected as assumed. Large piles, rounded gaps, and narrow end regions need their own local slope and inertia checks if these representative scales cease to describe them.

Let $z$ measure distance normal to the plane, with the wall at $z=0$ and the free surface at $z=h$. Take density $\rho$, dynamic viscosity $\mu$, and gravitational acceleration $g$. In lubrication theory, normal momentum balance gives hydrostatic pressure while inertia and streamwise viscous derivatives are smaller. With negligible surface tension and negligible air shear,Apply the no-slip boundary condition $u=v=0$ at $z=0$, and zero leading tangential stress $u_z=v_z=0$ at $z=h$. The velocity profiles areDepth integration gives the volume flux, with $K=\rho g/(3\mu )$:Combining incompressibility with the wall and surface kinematic conditions gives conservation of mass, $h_t+{\partial }_x{q}_x+{\partial }_y{q}_y=0$. Therefore the two-dimensional version of the gravity-driven thin film on an incline satisfiesDirect downslope gravity supplies the advective term, while gradients of the hydrostatic pressure spread the film along the surface. At $\alpha =0$ this reduces to nonlinear gravitational spreading in a horizontal film.

At the rigid surface, the no-slip boundary condition and no penetration giveAt the horizontal free surface, the kinematic boundary condition and the stress boundary condition areHere surface tension is absent and the inviscid air exerts no tangential traction.

The incompressible Stokes equation isUse the Cartesian streamfunction convention $u={\psi }_y$, $v=-{\psi }_x$ and setThenand the wall and zero-shear conditions becomeThe two momentum equations readEquality of mixed derivatives gives $f^{(4)}=0$, so the boundary conditions implyIntegrating for the pressure and imposing the normal-stress condition at $y=h$ determinesThe complete instantaneous velocity and pressure fields are thereforeIndeed, with the viscous stress tensor $\sigma =-pI+\mu (\nabla \mathbf{u}+\nabla {\mathbf{u}}^T)$, these expressions satisfy both traction conditions. Evaluating the vertical velocity at the material surface gives the pressure-driven thinning of a uniform Stokes layer:Thus

Take $x$ down the plane and $y$ normally away from it, with the solid at $y=0$ and the free surface at $y=h$. A steady unidirectional falling film flow has velocity $\mathbf{u}=u(y){\mathbf{e}}_x$. The streamwise Navier-Stokes equation reduces towhere $\nu$ is the kinematic viscosity. The lower no-slip boundary condition and upper stress-free boundary condition areIntegrating gives the velocity profileThe volume flux per unit width is

If the upper surface is replaced by a stationary solid plane, the second boundary condition becomes $u(h)=0$. The resulting plane-channel profile and flux areThe free surface exerts no tangential shear stress, whereas the stationary upper wall enforces no slip and exerts a retarding shear. This additional drag accounts for the reduced flux.

Let $\ell =(H_m-H_0)/\sin \alpha$ be the along-slope distance to the snowline, so $H(x)=H_m-x\sin \alpha$ and $a(x)=A(1-x/\ell )$. Define $D=g\sin \alpha /(3\nu )$.

Treat ice as an incompressible Newtonian fluid, neglect inertia, and use lubrication theory with thickness measured normal to the slope. The bed has a no-slip boundary condition, the free surface has zero tangential stress, and normal pressure is hydrostatic. The small thickness slope allows its pressure-gradient contribution to be neglected against gravity along the mountain. With normal coordinate $y$, the tangential equation and boundary conditions areIntegration givesThe horizontal radius of a ring is $x\cos \alpha$, so mass conservation gives the gravity-driven ice flow on a conical slope equationNegative accumulation is ice ablation and applies only where ice exists; the ice-free region has $h=0$.

In a steady state, regularity and zero total flux at the apex require $xD{h}^3\to 0$ as $x\to 0$. Integrating givesRequiring a continuous zero-thickness steady terminus yields the steady conical ice cap with a linear accumulation gradient:The terminus lies below the snowline, allowing the ablation region to balance snowfall. The maximum thickness occurs at $x=3\ell /4$.

The volume follows from integrating the ring areas. With $s=x/\ell$,Substituting $D$ and $\ell =\Delta H/\sin \alpha$ givesThe ideal outer profile has steep slopes very close to the apex and terminus. Those small regions require local corrections to the assumed slope balance, while the bulk profile and leading volume follow from the stated approximation.

At the displaced free surface, constant atmospheric pressure and the hydrostatic approximation give the dynamic conditionThe linearized kinematic condition is $w=D_g\eta /Dt$. Combining these relations withgives

In steady rigid rotation of the liquid about its vertical axis, centrifugal acceleration is ${\Omega }^{2}r$ outward. Hydrostatic pressure balance in the rotating frame givesThe free surface is at constant atmospheric pressure, so its slope obeysCompare this parabolic free surface of a rigidly rotating liquid with $z-z_0=r^2/(4f)$. For focal length $f=1\mathrm{m}$,Either sense of rotation gives the same shape. The result assumes the liquid has reached rigid rotation before solidifying and that surface-tension and solidification distortions can be neglected.

Inductance and interface conditions. For a linear coil, self-inductance is the ratio $L=\Lambda /I$ of its own magnetic flux linkage $\Lambda =N\Phi$ to current. Its induced electromotive force is $-LdI/dt$ for fixed $L$. Across an interface with unit normal $\mathbf{n}$ from medium 1 to 2,These electromagnetic boundary conditions follow from Gauss's law for magnetism and Ampère's law. Here ${\mathbf{K}}_f$ is free surface current. At the iron–air faces there is no free surface current, so normal magnetic flux density and tangential magnetic field intensity are continuous. In each isotropic linear medium, $\mathbf{B}={\mu }_0{\mu }_r\mathbf{H}$.

Complete core. A slender toroid has approximately uniform $H$ along mean path length $\ell$. Ampère's law gives $H\ell =NI$, so $B=\mu {\mu }_{0}NI/\ell$. The flux per turn is $\Phi =BA$, yielding the inductance of a toroidal winding,This uses constant relative magnetic permeability $\mu$ and neglects leakage, fringing and saturation.

Why the gap lowers inductance. The gap replaces an easy magnetic path in iron with air. Maintaining the same flux now requires a much larger magnetic field intensity in part of the path and therefore more ampere-turns. Equivalently, magnetic reluctance increases, so the flux linkage for a fixed current and hence self-inductance decrease. A narrow gap can matter greatly because its permeability is smaller by the factor $\mu$.

Oblique-gap calculation. In the original diagram $t$ is the perpendicular separation of the cut faces. Let $\mathbf{s}$ point along the core, and let $\mathbf{n},\mathbf{q}$ be normal and tangential to the gap faces. With the face at angle $\theta$ to the core direction, $\mathbf{s}=\sin \theta \mathbf{n}+\cos \theta \mathbf{q}$. Write the core flux density as $B\mathbf{s}$. The boundary conditions givesoThe gap area normal to its nearly normal field is $A/\sin \theta$, not $A$. Its leading reluctance is consequently $t\sin \theta /({\mu }_{0}A)$. Adding the core reluctance gives the inductance of a toroid with an oblique narrow air gap,Thus at $\theta =45^{\circ }$,The approximation retains the possibly order-one ratio $\mu t/\ell$ while neglecting $t/\ell$, fringing and the small tangential gap contribution. More precisely, a local uniform-field path along the core, with missing iron length $t/\sin \theta$ subtracted, gives denominator $\ell /\mu +t\sin \theta (1-1/\mu )$. Its correction is beyond the stipulated large-$\mu$, narrow-gap accuracy; simply neglecting $\mu t$ would not be justified.

Field in the slot. The component expression above givesFor the $45^{\circ }$ gap and $\mu \gg 1$,Its units are $\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$. The field is almost perpendicular to the cut faces, rather than following the iron direction straight across the cut. Its small angle away from the face normal satisfies $\tan \alpha =1/\mu$ at $45^{\circ }$; the sense reverses if the current reverses.

Field equations. In a homogeneous source-free nonmagnetic medium, $\mathbf{D}=ϵ{\epsilon }_0\mathbf{E}$ and $\mathbf{B}={\mu }_0\mathbf{H}$. Maxwell's equations becomeThe first equation follows from $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{D}=0$ for spatially constant nonzero $ϵ$. When the effective relative permittivity is negative below, its charge response is already included in $\mathbf{D}$; it must not also be counted as an extra free source.

Amplitude relations and bulk dispersion. Work with complex phasors proportional to $e^{ikx-Kz-i\omega t}$. For $\mathbf{H}=(0,H_y,0)$, the Ampere-Maxwell law givesso the amplitudes must obeyThey are not arbitrary independent constants: the dispersion relation alone would not make arbitrary amplitudes satisfy the equations. These relations give $ik{E}_x-K{E}_z=0$, so the electric divergence vanishes; the magnetic divergence vanishes because there is no $y$ dependence. The only nonzero component of Faraday's law of induction isSubstitution then givesThis proves that all four field equations hold for the specified transverse magnetic polarization when both the amplitude relations and the dispersion relation are imposed.

Interface matching. Let region 1 be vacuum above the interface, with ${ϵ}_1=1$, $K={\beta }_1>0$; region 2 has ${ϵ}_2=ϵ$, $K={\beta }_2<0$. These signs make the evanescent fields decay as $z\to \pm \infty$. In the absence of free surface current, tangential $H_y$ is continuous, giving a common interface amplitude. Tangential $E_x$ is also continuous, henceNormal $D_z$ is continuous as well: both sides have $D_z=-k{H}_y/\omega$. This does not require $E_z$ itself to be continuous; the material can have polarization surface charge. The normal magnetic field is zero on both sides.

Existence and surface dispersion. The opposite signs of ${\beta }_1$ and ${\beta }_2$ require $ϵ<0$. The two bulk equations areUse ${\beta }_2^2={ϵ}^2{\beta }_1^2$ to eliminate the decay constants. For the nontrivial interface branch,A positive ${\beta }_1^2$ together with real propagating $k$ gives $ϵ<-1$. A negative permittivity between $-1$ and zero is insufficient. This lossless planar surface-plasmon dispersion describes a surface plasmon polariton; $ϵ=1$ would instead be identical media and supplies no decaying bound mode.

Frequency range and long wavelengths. With $ϵ=1-{\omega }_p^2/{\omega }^2$, the existence condition becomesThe upper value is a limiting frequency approached as $k\to \infty$, not an attained maximum at finite $k$. Substitution into the dispersion relation givesFor $\omega \ll {\omega }_p$, choosing propagation in the positive $x$ direction,It approaches the vacuum light line from larger $k$. The vacuum decay constant is then ${\beta }_1\simeq {\omega }^2/(c{\omega }_p)$, so confinement becomes weak at low frequency. This calculation assumes the stated real, lossless effective permittivity; dissipation would require complex propagation and decay constants.

Meaning and microscopic origin. For a Newtonian fluid, the dynamic viscosity $\eta$ measures tangential momentum transfer between fluid layers moving at different speeds. For the Newtonian shear considered here, ${\tau }_{xz}=\eta d{v}_z/dx$, with units $\mathrm{Pa}\mathrm{s}$ for $\eta$. Molecular motion and collisions transport momentum across layers in a gas; intermolecular interactions contribute strongly in liquids. The resulting viscous forces oppose relative shear motion and convert organized kinetic energy to heat. The constitutive law is Newtonian and isotropic; incompressibility alone does not establish it.

Vertical force balance. Choose $z$ downward, as in the original diagram, and $x$ outward normal to the plate. In a uniform steady film, $\mathbf{v}=v_z(x)\hat{\mathbf{z}}$ has zero advective acceleration and no along-plate pressure gradient. On a slice of thickness $dx$, the net shear force per unit face area is $\tau (x+dx)-\tau (x)$, while its weight per unit area is $\rho gdx$. ThereforeHere $\tau =\eta d{v}_z/dx$ denotes the downward traction on a face with positive $x$ normal. The opposite face has the opposite traction orientation, accounting for the sign in the force difference.

Boundary conditions. At the fixed solid wall, the no-slip boundary condition is $v_z(0)=0$, with no normal penetration. At the free surface $x=d$, neglect air shear, so $\tau (d)=0$ and hence $v_z^{\prime }(d)=0$. The flat free surface has normal pressure $p_{\mathrm{atm}}$, neglecting surface-curvature effects. These are a velocity condition at the wall and a stress condition at the free surface, not zero velocity at both boundaries.

The parabolic speed profile. Integrating ${\tau }^{\prime }=-\rho g$ from the shear-free surface gives $\tau (x)=\rho g(d-x)$. Thusand the wall condition yieldsIt is zero at the wall and largest at the free surface, where its gradient vanishes. The wall shear $\rho gd$ supports the downslope weight of the film per unit plate area.

Volume flux per unit width. Integrate through the depth:This is volume flow per unit length in $y$, with units ${\mathrm{m}}^2{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$.

Inclining the plate. Keep $x$ normal outward from the plate and use $s$ downslope. The gravitational components are $g\sin \theta$ downslope and $-g\cos \theta$ normal to the plate. For a uniform film of normal thickness $d$, the steady slice equations areThe free-surface pressure condition givesUniform $d$ makes ${\partial }_{s}p=0$. The same no-slip and zero-surface-shear conditions then give the uniform gravity-driven Newtonian film,The component normal to the plate changes the hydrostatic pressure, while the tangential component drives the flow. The thickness is measured normal to the tilted plate.

The inclined-film volume flux. Integrating the new profile givesIt recovers the vertical result at $\theta =\pi /2$ and vanishes on a horizontal plate at fixed uniform depth. A varying depth, imposed pressure gradient or significant air shear would require additional terms; the solution here uses the uniform film specified by the simple draining-plate model.

Newton's second law takes its familiar form $m\mathbf{a}=\mathbf{F}$ in an inertial frame. Axes fixed to a turning apparatus or to the Earth form a rotating reference frame. Extra inertial forces account for the acceleration of these coordinates. Their values depend on the chosen reference frame; physical interactions such as gravity, tension and contact forces must still be included separately.

Let the rotating origin have inertial acceleration $\mathbf{A}$, and let its axes have angular velocity $\mathbf{\Omega }(t)$. For any vector $\mathbf{q}$, the rotating-frame derivative formula isEach rotating basis vector changes by $\mathbf{\Omega }\times {\mathbf{e}}_i$, which proves this rule by expanding $\mathbf{q}$ in that basis. Apply it twice to the position relative to the moving origin. With ${\mathbf{v}}^{\prime }$ and ${\mathbf{a}}^{\prime }$ measured in the rotating axes,Consequently the equation in the rotating reference frame isThe additional terms are the translational inertial force, Coriolis force, Euler force and centrifugal force, respectively. The last two simplify when the angular velocity is constant: the Euler force vanishes, while the other rotation terms remain.

The centrifugal force points away from the rotation axis. If ${\mathbf{r}}_{\perp }$ is the perpendicular displacement from that axis, thenFor uniform rotation it has potential energyA mass at rest relative to a turntable can therefore be described as having an inward tension or friction balancing its outward centrifugal force. In an inertial frame, the inward physical force instead produces the required centripetal acceleration. These are two descriptions of the same motion; one must not insert the rotating-frame outward term into the inertial equation as an additional physical interaction.

A rotating liquid gives a useful quantitative example. For a liquid in hydrostatic equilibrium relative to a vessel rotating uniformly about the vertical axis,Along the free surface the pressure is constant, so ${\Omega }^{2}sds-gdz=0$ andThe surface is a elliptic paraboloid. This is the balance of gravity and the centrifugal force in the rotating description. On the Earth, the same outward acceleration reduces effective gravity, most strongly at the equator, and contributes to the planet's equatorial bulge.

The Coriolis force depends on relative motion:It is perpendicular to both $\mathbf{\Omega }$ and ${\mathbf{v}}^{\prime }$, vanishes for motion along the rotation axis, and reverses when the relative velocity reverses. The dot product givesThus the Coriolis force does no work in the rotating reference frame: it changes the direction of motion rather than directly changing the rotating-frame kinetic energy. For example, on a horizontal turntable rotating anticlockwise as viewed from above, an outward-moving slider has a clockwise Coriolis acceleration, whereas an inward-moving slider has an anticlockwise one. The deflection can be observed by comparing a laboratory camera with a camera rotating with the table.

For slow horizontal motion on the Earth at latitude $\lambda$, keep the vertical component ${\Omega }_E\sin \lambda$ of its angular velocity. In east-north coordinates $(u,v)$ the horizontal Coriolis acceleration isIt deflects motion to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere. In large-scale atmospheric and oceanic motion it can balance a horizontal pressure gradient, giving geostrophic balance. With $\hat{\mathbf{z}}$ upward, the steady horizontal equation without friction isThe resulting velocity runs along lines of equal pressure. This approximation requires rotation to dominate local inertial changes; it is inappropriate close to the equator where $f$ tends to zero.

The Foucault pendulum gives another terrestrial example. In the small-angle approximation, its horizontal coordinates satisfyTo first order in the small ratio ${\Omega }_E/{\omega }_0$, the oscillation plane precesses relative to the ground at angular rate $-{\Omega }_E\sin \lambda$: clockwise in the northern hemisphere, zero at the equator, and one revolution per sidereal day at a pole. The Coriolis force explains this changing orientation without requiring energy input. Together these examples show why inertial forces are useful whenever the apparatus or environment supplies naturally rotating coordinates.

An electrical insulator has no freely conducting bulk charge in the ideal static description, but an applied electric field can displace bound positive and negative charge relative to one another. The resulting electric dipole moments per unit volume define the polarization density $\mathbf{P}$. Distortion of electronic charge clouds, relative displacement of ions, and partial alignment of permanent molecular electric dipoles can all contribute. Thermal agitation opposes the last mechanism.

For a weak field in a linear isotropic dielectric, the constitutive law isHere ${\chi }_e$ is the electric susceptibility, $ϵ$ is the permittivity, and $\mathbf{D}$ is the electric displacement field. In an anisotropic material, ${\chi }_e$ is a tensor and $\mathbf{P}$ need not be parallel to $\mathbf{E}$. These response laws describe the macroscopic field, not necessarily the microscopic field acting on one molecule.

Spatial variation and surface termination of the polarization density give bound charge and bound current through the bound charge densitieswhere $\hat{\mathbf{n}}$ is outward from the material. Thus uniform polarization density has no bulk bound charge, but generally has opposite bound charges on opposing surfaces. Gauss's law can be rewritten asWith no free surface charge, the normal component of $\mathbf{D}$ is continuous across an interface; the tangential electric field is continuous in electrostatics.

For example, fill a parallel-plate capacitor of plate area $A$ and gap $d$ with a uniform dielectric, neglecting fringing. At fixed free plate charge $Q$, $D=Q/A$, soThe induced bound surface charges oppose the original field, reducing the electric field and potential difference at fixed $Q$. At fixed applied potential difference, the field remains $V/d$ and the battery instead supplies more free charge. The electric displacement field separates these free-charge and bound-charge roles.

An incident electromagnetic wave generally produces reflected and transmitted waves because the two media have different electromagnetic response. Consider a flat interface between homogeneous, linear, lossless media with permittivities ${ϵ}_j$ and magnetic permeabilities ${\mu }_j$. Their wave speeds and wave impedances areFor each plane electromagnetic wave, $\mathbf{H}=\hat{\mathbf{k}}\times \mathbf{E}/Z_j$. With no free surface charge or current, the interface conditions for electromagnetic fields require continuous tangential $\mathbf{E},\mathbf{H}$ and normal $\mathbf{D},\mathbf{B}$. Equality of the phase at every point on the boundary gives equal angular frequencies and tangential wavevectors. Hence the reflection angle equals the incidence angle and Snell's law iswhere $n_j=c/v_j$ and each angle is measured from the normal.

At normal incidence use the same tangential axis for all electric amplitudes. The two independent boundary equations areSolving gives the amplitude Fresnel equationsFor nonmagnetic media, these become $r=(n_1-n_2)/(n_1+n_2)$ and $t=2n_1/(n_1+n_2)$. Reflection into a medium of larger refractive index therefore reverses the electric amplitude's sign at normal incidence.

The normal Poynting vector determines the reflected and transmitted fractions of incident power. At normal incidence,It is the power fractions, rather than the squared electric amplitudes alone, that add to unity.

At oblique incidence separate transverse electric polarization ($s$, electric field perpendicular to the incidence plane) from transverse magnetic polarization ($p$, electric field in that plane). For nonmagnetic media, writing $c_i=\cos {\theta }_i$ and $c_t=\cos {\theta }_t$, the Fresnel equations areHere choose a common $s$ direction and, for each ray, the $p$ direction as $\hat{\mathbf{s}}\times \hat{\mathbf{k}}$. This makes the reflected $p$ basis reverse its tangential direction at normal incidence, explaining why the displayed $r_p$ then has the opposite sign to $r_s$. Physical reflectance is independent of this sign convention. For either polarization with propagating transmission,For $p$ polarization, zero reflection occurs at the Brewster angle $\tan {\theta }_B=n_2/n_1$. If $n_1>n_2$, incidence above the critical angle for total internal reflection $\sin {\theta }_c=n_2/n_1$ produces an evanescent field in total internal reflection and $\mathcal{R}=1$ for an isolated lossless interface. A lossy second medium requires complex response coefficients and an absorption term in the energy balance.