Sunday, 19 January 2014

12.4 The Index of Refraction



During the study of the light and geometric optics unit, chapter 12.4, we learned the Index of Refraction.

Definitions:

Index of Refraction:
                               The ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum compared to the speed of light in a medium  
                               
Refracted Ray: 
                         A ray that has entered a medium and has bent either away or towards the normal depending of the density of the object.


Mathematically the ratio of the index of refraction is written as;

'N' is the index of refraction whereas 'C' is the speed of light in a vacuum and 'V' is the speed of light in a given medium.

The index of refraction can also be calculated by the using the sines of the angles.

                                                                 N  =  sin i 
                                                                          sin r
Calculating the Index of refraction:
You are given;

The speed of light in a vacuum is

C=3.00 x 10 to the power of 8  meters a second.

You are also given the speed of light in the given substance for example sodium chloride.

V (sodium chloride)  =1.96 x 10 to the power of 8  meters a second.

Solution:
               N  = C
                       V

     = 10 to the power of 8   m/s
      1.96 x 10 to the power of 8 m/s
   
      =  1.53
Therefore the index of refraction for sodium chloride is  1.53.


Calculating the speed of light.
You are given;

The speed of light in a vacuum is C=3.00 x 10 to the power of 8  meters a second.

and the index of refraction in a given substance for example olive oil
where N(olive oil) =1.48

you must then find V or the speed of light in the given medium (Olive oil).

Solution:

N = C           
       N

V x N = C            


V = C               
       V    

= 3.00 x 10 to the power of 8   m/s
               1.48

= 2.03 x 10 to the power of 8   m/s

therefore the speed of light in olive oil is      = 2.03 x 10 to the power of 8   m/s

Snell's Law:
                     
Snell's law is a formula to describe the relationship between the angle of incidences and the angle of refraction.  




Here's a link for a quick lesson on the index of refraction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuBiZjSHnwI

Here's one for the calculations on the index of refraction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuD2pwqyT3Q

Here's one for Snell's Law.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y55tzg_jW9I



                                         

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