3.18 know and use the relationship between refractive index, angle of incidence and angle of refraction

3.18 know and use the relationship between refractive index, angle of incidence and angle of refraction

The ratio between sine of the angle of incidence and the sine of the angle of refraction is called refractive index. In a material, the refractive index is constant throughout the circuit.

n = sin i / sin r
refracive index = sin(incident angle) / sin(refracted angle)

• Lighter mediums means that light can pass easily/ speed of light is more.
• Dense/light doesn’t mean physical density rather than optical condition.
• Refraction takes place in second medium.
• The ratio from a vacuum to a denser medium is called absolute refractive index.
• The ratio from a medium to another medium is called relative refractive index.
• It doesn’t have a unit because it is the ratio of same curve.
• Wavelength decreases in a denser medium, thus decreasing speed.
• The higher the wavelength, the more the light will bend.
• The higher the wavelength, the less the angle of refraction.