Question
Briefly explain the cause of refraction of light.
Solution
Refraction or bending of light, occurs due to the change in the speed of light as it passes from one medium to another medium. Light travels with different speeds in different media.
Using Snell’s law of refraction, we can write
As the speed of light (c) in vacuum is greater than the speed of light (v) in any medium, i.e., c > v.
So, sin i > sin r
∠ i > ∠ r.
That is why a ray of light bends towards the normal as it passes from a rarer medium (air) to a denser medium (glass).
Using Snell’s law of refraction, we can write
As the speed of light (c) in vacuum is greater than the speed of light (v) in any medium, i.e., c > v.
So, sin i > sin r
∠ i > ∠ r.
That is why a ray of light bends towards the normal as it passes from a rarer medium (air) to a denser medium (glass).
