Refraction of Light Flashcards

Vocabulary practice cards covering the fundamental concepts, laws, and mathematical relationships of light refraction as detailed in the Chapter 4 lecture notes.

Reflection of light

The return of light in the same medium after striking a polished surface.

Refraction

The change in the direction of the path of light when it passes from one transparent medium to another transparent medium.

Optically denser medium

A medium in which light slows down as it passes from the first medium to the second.

Optically rarer medium

A medium in which light speeds up as it passes from the first medium to the second.

Speed of light in vacuum (c)

$3 \times 10^8\,m\,s^{-1}$.

Speed of light in water

$2.25 \times 10^8\,m\,s^{-1}$.

Speed of light in glass

$2 \times 10^8\,m\,s^{-1}$.

Deviation ($\delta$)

The angle through which a ray turns, defined as the angle between the direction of the refracted ray and the direction of the incident ray.

Snell's laws

Two laws of refraction named after the Dutch scientist Willebrod Snell: (1) The incident ray, refracted ray, and normal lie in the same plane; (2) The ratio $\frac{\sin(i)}{\sin(r)}$ is constant for a given pair of media.

Refractive index (${}_1\mu_2$)

The ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence in the first medium to the sine of the angle of refraction in the second medium.

Absolute refractive index ($\mu$)

The ratio of the speed of light in vacuum or air ($c$) to the speed of light in a specific medium ($V$), expressed as $\mu = \frac{c}{V}$.

Refractive index of water

Approximately $1.33$ (or $\frac{4}{3}$).

Refractive index of glass

Approximately $1.5$ (or $\frac{3}{2}$).

Refractive index of diamond

$2.41$.

Frequency ($f$) during refraction

A property of light that does not change upon refraction as it depends on the source of light.

Wavelength relationship in media

The relationship expressed as $\lambda' = \frac{\lambda}{\mu}$, where $\lambda$ is the wavelength in air and $\mu$ is the refractive index of the medium.

Principle of reversibility of the path of light

The principle stating that the path of a light ray is reversible; if the direction of light is reversed, it will follow the same path backwards.

Lateral displacement ($x$)

The perpendicular distance between the path of the emergent ray and the direction of the incident ray, calculated as $x = \frac{t \times \sin(i - r)}{\cos(r)}$.

Lateral displacement factors

It increases with the thickness of the medium, the angle of incidence, and the refractive index (or decrease in wavelength).

Brightest image in a thick mirror

The second image, formed due to light suffering a strong reflection at the silvered surface.