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Index of refraction formula

Updated: 8/11/2023
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12y ago

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n= sin i/sin r

n = refractive index

i = angle of incidence

r = angle of refraction

or

refractive index =velocity of light /phase velocity

phase velocity =lambda/time

For the refractive index of a certain substance:

n=velocity of light in a vacuum/velocity of light in the substance

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12y ago
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13y ago

Refractive index of a medium = speed of light in air / speed of light in medium

If a ray of light passes from air into that medium then the refractive index (R.I) can be given by:

R.I = sin(angle in air) / sin(angle in medium)

Angle in air is the angle between the ray of light and the normal in air.

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12y ago

Refractive index of a medium is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in free space to that in the given medium.

The speed of light in free space is 3 x 108 m/s

The speed of light in glass is found to be 2 x 108

So the refractive index of glass with respect to free space is 3/2

So mu = 1.5 (no unit)

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12y ago

you measure the angle of the incident ray from the normal, then the refractive ray from the normal then you "sin" the incident ray and the refractive ray and then put the incident ray "sined" over the refractive ray to find the refractive index

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12y ago

Measure the angle between the incident ray and the normal as well as between the refracted ray and the normal. *Note* the normal is an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface. Once u get your angles use Snells Laws:

n1sin(theetha)1=n2sin(theetha)2

Assume that the refractive index of the incident ray is 1.00.

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11y ago

There are so many ways to determine the refractive index of liquid

1) Using spectrometer with a hollow prism filled with the liquid

2) By Boy's method if liquid is available only in small amount

3) Using travelling microscope pouring liquid in a hollow rectangular slab

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10y ago

Sadly, there is only one:

Refractive index of a material = speed of light in vacuum/speed of light in the material

(n2-1)/(n2+2)=((Nq2)/3E0m)*sum overj of fj/(w02j-w2+iyjW)

sqrt(permitivity*permeability/vacuum permitivity*permeability)

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6y ago

The index of refraction can be defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum, to the speed of light in the corresponding material.However, this speed can be hard to measure directly; I believe in practice you would most likely measure angles of the light, and then use Snell's Law.

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11y ago

The refractive index is the (angle of incidence/angle of refraction).

It can also be found by doing (1/sin c) where 'c' is the critical angle.

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Continue Learning about Natural Sciences

What is the bending of light rays as it passes from one material into another?

Index Of Refraction


When light passes from a medium with a high index of refraction into a medium with a lower index of refraction which direction does the light bend?

A medium with a higher index of refraction, like diamond, is more dense than the medium with a lower index of refraction, like air. If the ray of light is moving from the less dense medium (lower index of refraction), to a more dense (higher index of refraction) the ray of light bends TOWARDS the normal.


What happens when a light moves from a material with a lower index of refraction to another material with a higher index of refraction?

The ray of light bends towards the normal.


How can the index of refraction for different substances be determined mathematically?

n(index of refraction) = c(speed of light in a vacuum)/v(speed of material in the sebstance)


How is the speed of light affected as light passes at an angle from air to water?

Every substance has its own index of refraction. The index of refraction affects the speed of the light passing through it. Air has an index of refraction of about 1.00 whereas water has an index of refraction of about 1.33. a simple ratio formula can be used to determine the final speed of the light through the water. (Vi/Vf)=(Ni/Nf) where v is the speed of light and N is the index of refraction. The angle would also change. The path of the light would 'bend' toward the normal line which is an imaginary line that runs perpendicular to the line where the air meets the water. Equation to find angle is (N2/N1) = Sin(angle1)/Sin(angle2).

Related questions

What is the formula for the index of refraction?

Umm... E=MC²


How do you think increasing a medium's index of refraction might affect the angle of refraction?

Q: How do you think increasing a medium's index of refraction might affect the angle of refraction?


What is the bending of light rays as it passes from one material into another?

Index Of Refraction


When light passes from a medium with a high index of refraction into a medium with a lower index of refraction which direction does the light bend?

A medium with a higher index of refraction, like diamond, is more dense than the medium with a lower index of refraction, like air. If the ray of light is moving from the less dense medium (lower index of refraction), to a more dense (higher index of refraction) the ray of light bends TOWARDS the normal.


How is the refractive index of glass is to water is related with that of air is to water?

Each substance has an index of refraction. The index of refraction of water is about 1.3330 . The index of refraction of air at standard conditions is about 1.0003 . There is no such thing as the index of refraction of "water to air".


When the mineral uvarovite has an index of refraction of 1.86. calculate the speed of light in this sample of uvarovite?

Use the definition of "index of refraction". In this case, you simply need to divide the speed of light in a vacuum by the index of refraction.


What is the refraction index of oil?

200


What is a property of a material that indicates how much it reduces the speed of light?

well kids, the answer is INDEX OF REFRACTION. (: science question on my homework


How is the index of refraction of a medium related to the speed light of in the medium?

c divided by the index of refraction of the medium = the speed of light in the medium.


does light travels three-fourths as fast through water as it does a vacuum. what is water's index in refraction?

Water's index of refraction is 1.333


When the mineral uvarovite has an index of refraction of 1.86. calculate the speed of light in this sample of uvarovite.?

Use the definition of "index of refraction". In this case, you simply need to divide the speed of light in a vacuum by the index of refraction.


What is the index of refraction for air?

Approximately 1