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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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Can relative refractive index between two media be less than unity?

No, the relative refractive index between two media cannot be less than unity. The relative refractive index is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the medium, and since the speed of light is always slower in a medium than in a vacuum, the relative refractive index is always greater than or equal to 1.


What is the minimum value of the refractive index?

The minimum value of the refractive index is 1, which corresponds to a vacuum. The refractive index of a medium is always greater than or equal to 1.


What is the refractive index of kerosene?

The refractive index of kerosene varies with its composition, but typically ranges between 1.43 to 1.47 at room temperature. This means that light travels through kerosene at a speed 1.43 to 1.47 times slower than in a vacuum.


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.


What medium has higher refractive index?

Generally, denser mediums have higher refractive index. For example, water has a higher refractive index compared to air. Similarly, glass has a higher refractive index than water.

Related Questions

Can relative refractive index between two media be less than unity?

No, the relative refractive index between two media cannot be less than unity. The relative refractive index is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the medium, and since the speed of light is always slower in a medium than in a vacuum, the relative refractive index is always greater than or equal to 1.


What is the minimum value of the refractive index?

The minimum value of the refractive index is 1, which corresponds to a vacuum. The refractive index of a medium is always greater than or equal to 1.


Why Refractive index the medium is always greater than 1?

The refractive index indicates how much light is slowed down as it travels through a medium compared to its speed in a vacuum. Since light travels more slowly in a medium than in a vacuum, the refractive index of the medium is always greater than 1.


What is the refractive index of kerosene?

The refractive index of kerosene varies with its composition, but typically ranges between 1.43 to 1.47 at room temperature. This means that light travels through kerosene at a speed 1.43 to 1.47 times slower than in a vacuum.


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.)


What medium has higher refractive index?

Generally, denser mediums have higher refractive index. For example, water has a higher refractive index compared to air. Similarly, glass has a higher refractive index than water.


Why the refractive index of ice is lower than that of water?

The refractive index of a material is related to how light propagates through it. Ice has a lower refractive index than water because its molecular structure is less dense and more sparse compared to water. This difference in molecular arrangement affects how light interacts with the substance, leading to a lower refractive index in ice compared to water.


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.


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".