• 1
  • 33 Views
  • All levels

How is the direction of light changed when it travels from an optically denser medium to an optically rarer medium????? please answer it fast......​

Leave an answer

Our People Answers

0

(Based on todays review)

  • skyluke89


    Answer:

    The light bends away from the normal

    Explanation:

    We can solve the problem by using Snell's law:

    n_1 sin \theta_1 = n_2 sin \theta_2

    where:

    n_1 is the index of refraction of the first medium

    n_2 is the index of refraction of the second medium

    \theta_1 is the angle of incidence (angle between the incoming ray and the normal to the interface)

    \theta_2 is the angle of refraction (angle between the outcoming ray and the normal to the interface)

    We can rearrange the equation as

    sin \theta_2 = \frac{n_1}{n_2}sin \theta_1

    In this problem, light travels from an optically denser medium to an optically rarer medium, so

    n_1 > n_2

    Therefore, the term \frac{n_1}{n_2} is greater than 1, so

    sin \theta_2 > sin \theta_1\\\rightarrow \theta_2 > \theta_1

    which means that the angle of refraction is greater than the angle of incidence, and so the light will bend away from the normal.