The Fresnel equations describe how light is reflected and refracted at the interface between two different media. They are derived from the wave nature of light and provide a mathematical framework for understanding how the intensity and polarization of light change when it encounters a boundary, such as the surface of a prism, water, or glass.
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The Fresnel equations give reflection and transmission amplitudes for both transverse-electric and transverse-magnetic polarization of an electromagnetic wave at a planar interface. They follow by applying interface conditions for electromagnetic fields to incident, reflected and refracted plane electromagnetic waves.
