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What happens to a ray of light that slows down when it hits a new medium at an angle?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
The change in speed causes the light to bend. If it is travelling from an optically dencer to an optically rarer medium the ray will bend away from the normal. But if it is travelling from an optically rarer to an optically denser medium then it will bend towards the normal.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoThe light will bend towards the normal (normal is a perpendicular line to the surface). This is refraction!
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoRefraction. When the rays enter or leave one medium for another - they are refracted.
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoboth
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoit bends
Wiki User
∙ 10y agorefract
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What happens when light goes from a less dense medium to a more dense medium?
It slows and bends.
What happens to the speed of sound as a medium cools?
it slows down
What does light do when it travels through a medium?
Light slows down when going through a medium. This is not to say that the speed of light, c, slows down. It doesn't - c remains constant - rather the light bounces randomly around the medium on its way to its destination, which increases the time it takes for the light to traverse through the medium.
Why does light refact when it passes from air into a glass slab?
When light passes into the slab it is changing medium from less to more dense. When that happens the light slows down and bends towards from the normal
In going from denser to rarer medium a ray of light is?
SLOWS DOWN and angle DECREASES
What happens when light goes from a less dense medium to a more dense medium?
It slows and bends.
How can you change the medium that light travels through?
Anything that light will penetrate is a medium light will travel through. Any such medium will slow light down, to a certain degree. Window glass slows light down somewhat. Water slows light down a bit more. A diamond slows light down greatly (part of the reason for the "fire" in a diamond.)
What happens to the speed of sound as a medium cools?
it slows down
What does light do when it travels through a medium?
Light slows down when going through a medium. This is not to say that the speed of light, c, slows down. It doesn't - c remains constant - rather the light bounces randomly around the medium on its way to its destination, which increases the time it takes for the light to traverse through the medium.
Why does light refact when it passes from air into a glass slab?
When light passes into the slab it is changing medium from less to more dense. When that happens the light slows down and bends towards from the normal
Why a change in speed of light causes refraction of light?
It is only possible if light enters another medium with an angle other then 90. WHen it does so then some part of light enters the medium first and it slows down first while the other part enter after a while and slows down later. This time gap .For much better understanding see... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyzci1qTVL8
What happens when sunlight goes through glass?
Whenever electromagnetic radiation of any kind (light, heat, radio, gamma rays and microwaves are all examples of electromagnetic radiation) travels from one medium to another, the radiation will be refracted because the speed of light in each medium is different. When light travels from air into glass, the glass slows the light down, and the light refracts or "bends" toward the glass, depending on the angle of incidence. (The Angle of Incidence is the angle at which the light hits the glass. ) The amount of refraction (bending) also depends on the wavelength of the radiation, so when sunlight hits the glass at an angle, the glass breaks the "white" light into a rainbow of colors. This is the same thing that happens with a real rainbow, when light hits water droplets and is refracted and broken into different colors.
When white light is refracted the amount that the light bends depends on the light's?
The medium. The denser the material the more light slows down as it enters. As it slows down the angle of refraction will be smaller than the angle of incidence and the ray will bend towards the normal. How much it bends will depend in the difference in speed which depends on the density of the material. The ratio between the 'speeds' is the refractive index. Look up refractive index and Snell's law.
In going from denser to rarer medium a ray of light is?
SLOWS DOWN and angle DECREASES
What happens to the speed of light when it is refracted?
The speed of light slows down.
When white light is refracted the amount that the light bends depends on what?
The medium. The denser the material the more light slows down as it enters. As it slows down the angle of refraction will be smaller than the angle of incidence and the ray will bend towards the normal. How much it bends will depend in the difference in speed which depends on the density of the material. The ratio between the 'speeds' is the refractive index. Look up refractive index and Snell's law.
What is it called when the bending of a light wave slows down after it hits a medium called?
refraction
