Why does a light ray bend toward the normal?

Answer 1

During refraction, light follows particle nature. When a pair of light particles, attracted to each other, travel from a rarer medium to a denser medium obliquely, the particle that reaches the denser medium first, slows down. As a result, the light ray bends towards the first particle, which is nearer to the normal. Hence when light passes from a rarer medium to a denser medium, it bends towards the normal. A similar situation takes place when light travels from denser medium to a rarer medium, where light moves away from the normal.Also, when a light ray with an incident angle of 90 degree enters(passes through) a substance (medium) with higher or lower density, higher or lower index of reflection, that light ray will NOT bend.

Answer 2

because velocity of light is slower in water than in air. When entering at an angle, light waves going from air to water, the light waves which hit the water first, will slow down, while the rest of the wavefront is still going at the 'air velocity' of light. When the entire wavefront is in the water, the angle is now 'bent down' toward the normal.

When the wavefront travels from water to air, the opposite occurs. The first part of the wavefront to hit the interface will speed up as it enters the air.

Answer 3

It only does that when it passes from one medium into another one with a higher index of refraction.

When it passes from one medium into another one with a lower index of refraction, it bends away

from the normal.

The process is the same as when a car encounters water flowing along the curb. When the wheels on

one side of the car hit the water, the speed of those wheels is slightly reduced, and the car turns slightly

toward the drag of the water.

Answer 4

It will bend towards the normal, or away from the normal, depending on whether it changes to a material with a greater, or a lesser, index of refraction.