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No, refractive index(RI) of air is more than that of vaccum. Infact RI of any medium is more than vaccum.
RI of vaccum is 1.
RI of any medium = c/v
where c is speed of light in vaccum
v is speed if light in medium whose RI with respect to vaccum is found.
It is known that speed of light is maximum in vaccum so v < c, and RI > 1.
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Is it possible to have a refractive index less than one?
"No, it is not.If any substance had a refractive index less than one, that would mean that the speed of light in that substance was greater than c . The speed of light in vacuum (always as known as c) can not be exceeded under any circumstances."Yes it is possible!In typical media such as glass, air, water, perspex etc, one expects to find a refractive index grater than one. Light travels through the medium by sequential absorption and re-emission by the particles in the media. Think of atoms as passing a photon along like a package in a human chain. It takes time for each atom to absorb and re-emit the photon so the speed of light is slower than in vacuum. The ratio of speed in and out of the media is the refractive index. So in almost all cases the refractive index is grater than one.However there are some cases where the refractive index of a media can be less than one.Plasma - the refractive index of plasma is less than one n(f)= [1-(w/f)^2]^1/2Where n(f) is the refractive index as a function of the frequency of light which is propagating through the plasma, w = the plasma frequency.Metals - although not transparent at visible frequencies, metal is transparent to IR frequencies, and exhibits an index less than one. This is because there is a more complex mechanism used by the atoms to pass the photon through the medium. In conductors like metal, its very complicated as magnetism and moving electrons in atoms become important.NOTE: It is the phase velocity that becomes faster than the speed of light. The group velocity of light can never exceed the speed light! Information and energy travels with the group velocity and so violation of relativity or Maxwell's equations.
Light travels faster through water n 1 33 than it does through glass n equals 1 5?
The speed of light in any medium is given by its speed of light in vacuum divided by the refractive index of the medium and so light will travel faster in water than in glass since refractive index of glass is greater than that of water.
How fast does light travel through a diamond?
The refractive index of diamond is about 2.42 . So the speed of light in it is (speed of light in vacuum) divided by (2.42) That's 123.9 thousand kilometers per second (about 77,000 miles per second).
What is the Nature of a convex lens immersed in a liquid with refractive index greater than of glass?
Usually a convex lens made up a material with higher refractive index would act as a converging device when kept in a medium having lower refractive index such as air. But when it is kept in a liquid as said with higher refractive index then convex lens would become as a concave lens. Now it would diverge the rays entering through it right from the liquid with higher refractive index.
A lens of glass is immersed in water. What will happen to its power?
The power of a lens depends on the differences in the refractive indices of the environment and the lens material. A glass lens immersed in water will loose power (a positive lens will focus at a greater distance). (This is for normal glass with refractive index greater than water - there could be glasses with refractive index less than water in which case the lens would gain power)
Why air bubble in a glass slab have silvery look?
refractive index of glass is higher than refractive index of glass slab OR density of air is less than density of glass
Can relative refractive index between 2 media be less than unity?
yes
How is the refractive index of one medium with respect to the otherrelated to the speed of light?
The refractive index of any substance is(speed of light in vacuum)/(speed of light in that substance) .The number is greater than ' 1 ' in any material medium.
Is it possible to have a refractive index less than one?
"No, it is not.If any substance had a refractive index less than one, that would mean that the speed of light in that substance was greater than c . The speed of light in vacuum (always as known as c) can not be exceeded under any circumstances."Yes it is possible!In typical media such as glass, air, water, perspex etc, one expects to find a refractive index grater than one. Light travels through the medium by sequential absorption and re-emission by the particles in the media. Think of atoms as passing a photon along like a package in a human chain. It takes time for each atom to absorb and re-emit the photon so the speed of light is slower than in vacuum. The ratio of speed in and out of the media is the refractive index. So in almost all cases the refractive index is grater than one.However there are some cases where the refractive index of a media can be less than one.Plasma - the refractive index of plasma is less than one n(f)= [1-(w/f)^2]^1/2Where n(f) is the refractive index as a function of the frequency of light which is propagating through the plasma, w = the plasma frequency.Metals - although not transparent at visible frequencies, metal is transparent to IR frequencies, and exhibits an index less than one. This is because there is a more complex mechanism used by the atoms to pass the photon through the medium. In conductors like metal, its very complicated as magnetism and moving electrons in atoms become important.NOTE: It is the phase velocity that becomes faster than the speed of light. The group velocity of light can never exceed the speed light! Information and energy travels with the group velocity and so violation of relativity or Maxwell's equations.
Can light moves more slowly than air in the water?
Light in water is 1.333 times slower than light in the air. The reason is that the light is transformed into potential energy in the electrons and exits again as a light particle, so in air it performs the transformation less than in water. Air has a refractive index which is close to a vacuum, refractive index 1.000, whereas in water the refractive index is 1.333. The index is used when calculating the many different effects substances have on light. The index itself changes, depending on the wave length (ultraviolet, infrared, etc.)
How does the speed of light in glass compare to the speed of light in a vacuum?
It will depend on the type of glass, and something called its refractive index. All materials have a refractive index which will effect the speed of the light through it. The speed of light through a vacuum is 3.0x10^8 m/s, and a material such as glass will be lower than this.
Why the refractive index of ice is lower than that of water?
The refractive index of a certain material increases with its density. The refractive index of ice is less because it has a lower density than liquid water.
How does light travle in a material with a higher index of refraction?
It will usually change. Usually you would expect the speed to decrease, but note that the "optical density", i.e. the index of refraction, is not entirely related to the density (as defined by mass/volume).
Why do things in a pool appear closer than they actually are?
The refractive index of air (n=1.00) is less than the refractive index of water (1.33) so when light rays transmit through the water the rays are refracted and produce a "virtual image" making the object appear closer.
Light travels faster through water n 1 33 than it does through glass n equals 1 5?
The speed of light in any medium is given by its speed of light in vacuum divided by the refractive index of the medium and so light will travel faster in water than in glass since refractive index of glass is greater than that of water.
How fast does light travel through a diamond?
The refractive index of diamond is about 2.42 . So the speed of light in it is (speed of light in vacuum) divided by (2.42) That's 123.9 thousand kilometers per second (about 77,000 miles per second).
What is the physical significance of refractive index?
The amount of refraction depends on the difference in density between two mediums. So, the amount of refraction a material has, or it's refraction index, is the amount light will bend as it goes from medium into another medium. For instance, Vacuum is considered to have a refraction index of 1 and all other materials being denser than vacuum will naturally have a larger refraction index, they bend light more. So, it simply means that- since the object has a high density it will slow down light by a greater amount.
