Snell's law is that the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence and sine of angle of refraction is constant. The constant is known as the refractive index of the medium. The refractive index of the medium with respect to another medium can be defined as the ratio of speed of light in the first medium to the speed of light in another medium.

What is the relation between the refractive index of water with respect to air μ w a , and the refractive index of air with respect to water μ a w .

When light moves from one transparent medium to another and none of the medium is air or vacuum, the relative refractive index of second medium with respect to first is defined as, μ 2 1 = 1 μ 1 2 So, the relationship between the refractive index of water with respect to air ( μ w a ) and the refractive index of air with respect to water μ a w is μ w a = 1 μ a w

If the refractive index of water with respect to air ( μ w a ) is 5 3 . Calculate the refractive index of air with respect to water ( μ a w ).

Given that, Refractive index of water with respect to air is μ w a = 5 3 We know that water and air are two different media, water is denser whereas air is a rarer medium. The refractive index of the denser medium is always greater than 1 . Therefore, the refractive index of air with respect to water is w μ a = 1 a μ w = 1 5 / 3 = 3 5

If n g a = 1 . 5 then find the value of n a g ?

n a g = 1 n g a = 1 1 . 5 = 0 . 67

Refractive index of water is 4 3 and glass is 3 2 with respect to air. What is the refractive index of glass with respect to water?

Refractive index of glass with respect to water is the ratio of refractive index of glass to the refractive index of water. Given, Refractive index of water = 4 3 . Refractive index of glass = 3 2 . R e f r a c t i v e i n d e x o f g l a s s w . r . t w a t e r = R e f r a c t i v e i n d e x o f g l a s s R e f r a c t i v e i n d e x o f w a t e r = 3 2 4 3 = 1.125

A ray of light passes from air to glass. The angle of incidence is 45 ∘ . What is the angle of refraction, given the refractive index of glass is 1 . 5 .

Given, Angle of incidence, i = 45 ∘ Refractive index of glass, n g a = 1 . 5 n g a = sin i sin r = sin 45 ∘ sin r sin r = sin 45 ∘ n g a = 1 / 2 1 .5 = 2 3 Angle of refraction, r = sin − 1 2 3

If the absolute refractive indices of glass and water are 3 2 and 4 3 respectively, what is the refractive index of glass with respect to water?

Given that, The absolute refractive index of glass is n g = 3 2 . The absolute refractive index of water is n w = 4 3 . The refractive index of glass with respect to water is n w g = n g n w = 3 2 4 3 = 3 2 × 3 4 = 9 8 .

If the speed of light in a medium is 1 . 5 × 10 8 m s - 1 , what is the absolute refractive index of the medium?

Given that, The speed of light in a medium is v m = 1 . 5 × 10 8 m s - 1 . The speed of light in vacuum is c = 3 × 10 8 m s - 1 . So the refractive index of the medium is n m = c v m = 3 × 10 8 1 . 5 × 10 8 = 2 .

You are given kerosene, turpentine, and water. In which of these does the light travel fastest? Use the information given in the table. Material medium Refractive index Material medium Refractive index Air 1 . 0003 Crown glass 1 . 52 Ice 1 . 31 Canada Balsam 1 . 53 Water 1 . 33 Rock Salt 1 . 54 Alcohol 1 . 36 Carbon disulphide 1 . 63 Kerosene 1 . 44 Dense flint glass 1 . 65 Fused Quartz 1 . 46 Ruby 1 . 71 Turpentine oil 1 . 47 Sapphire 1 . 77 Benzene 1 . 50 Diamond 2 . 42

Light travels faster in a medium with the lowest refractive index. From the table, since the water has the lowest refractive index, light travels faster in water compared to kerosene and turpentine oil.

EASY

Earn 100

State snell's law.

Important Questions on Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

Which of the following is Snell

'

s law?

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

What is the relation between the refractive index of water with respect to air $({}_{a}μ_{w})$ , and the refractive index of air with respect to water $({}_{w}μ_{a})$ .

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

If the refractive index of water with respect to air ( ${}_{a}μ_{w}$ ) is $\frac{5}{3}$ . Calculate the refractive index of air with respect to water ( ${}_{w}μ_{a}$ ).

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

What is the speed of light in a vacuum?

MEDIUM

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

Refractive index of diamond with respect to glass is

1.6

and the absolute refractive index of glass is

1.5

. Find out the absolute refractive index of diamond.

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

How is the refractive index of a medium related to the speed of light? Obtain an expression for refractive index of a medium with respect to another in terms of speed of light in these two media?

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

{n_{g}}^{a} = 1.5

then find the value of

{n_{a}}^{g}

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

What is the ratio of sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle of refraction?

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

Refractive index of two material mediums

X

and

Y

are

1.3 and 1.5

respectively. In which of the two, the light would travel faster?

MEDIUM

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

Light enters from air to glass having refractive index

1.50

. What is the speed of light in the glass? The speed of light in a vacuum is

3 \times 10^{8} \frac{m}{s}

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

The refractive index of diamond is

2.42

. What is the meaning of this statement?

MEDIUM

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

Refractive index of water is

\frac{4}{3}

and glass is

\frac{3}{2}

with respect to air. What is the refractive index of glass with respect to water?

MEDIUM

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

A pencil when dipped in water in a glass tumbler appears to be bent at the interface of air and water. Will the pencil appear to be bent to the same extent, if instead of water we use liquids like, Kerosene or Turpentine. Support your answer with reason.

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

Define refractive index.

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

A ray of light passes from air to glass. The angle of incidence is

45^{\circ}

. What is the angle of refraction, given the refractive index of glass is

1.5

MEDIUM

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

Figure shows a ray of light as it travels from medium A to medium B. Refractive index of the medium B relative to medium A is Question Image

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

If the absolute refractive indices of glass and water are

\frac{3}{2}

and

\frac{4}{3}

respectively, what is the refractive index of glass with respect to water?

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

If the speed of light in a medium is

1.5 \times 10^{8} m s^{- 1}

, what is the absolute refractive index of the medium?

EASY

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

You are given kerosene, turpentine, and water. In which of these does the light travel fastest? Use the information given in the table.

Material medium	Refractive index	Material medium	Refractive index
Air	$1.0003$	Crown glass	$1.52$
Ice	$1.31$	Canada Balsam	$1.53$
Water	$1.33$	Rock Salt	$1.54$
Alcohol	$1.36$	Carbon disulphide	$1.63$
Kerosene	$1.44$	Dense flint glass	$1.65$
Fused Quartz	$1.46$	Ruby	$1.71$
Turpentine oil	$1.47$	Sapphire	$1.77$
Benzene	$1.50$	Diamond	$2.42$

MEDIUM

Science>Physics>Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces>Refractive Index

(a) A ray of light is incident at an angle of $45 °$ at the interface of medium (1) and medium (2) as shown in the diagram. Redraw this diagram in your answer sheet and complete it. If the angle of refraction is $30 °$ , find the refractive index of medium (2) w.r.t. medium (1). $[G i v e n : \sin 45 ° = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} a n d \sin 30 ° = \frac{1}{2}]$

Question Image

(b) If the second medium is water in place of medium (2), will the angle of refraction increase or decrease? Why? (Refractive index of water $= \frac{4}{3}$ ).

State snell's law.

Important Questions on Refraction of Light at Plane Surfaces

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