High School

As light shines from air to another medium with an incident angle of 30 degrees, the light bends toward the normal and refracts at 22.0 degrees. What is the index of refraction?

a) 0.751
b) 0.0262
c) 1.33
d) 38.2

Answer :

Final answer:

Using Snell's law and given angles of incidence and refraction, the index of refraction for the second medium is calculated to be approximately 1.33. The correct answer is c).

Explanation:

To find the index of refraction when light shines from air into another medium, we use Snell's law. The incident angle is given as 30 degrees and the angle of refraction is 22 degrees.

Snell's law is defined as n₁sin(θ1) = n₂sin(θ2), where n₁ and n₂ are the indices of refraction for the first and second media, respectively, and θ1 and θ2 are the angles of incidence and refraction.


Since the index of refraction for air (n₁) is approximately 1.00, we have 1.00 * sin(30.0 degrees) = n₂ * sin(22.0 degrees). To solve for n₂, rearrange the equation to get n₂ = sin(30.0 degrees) / sin(22.0 degrees).


Calculating the sine values and dividing them gives us n₂ ≈ 1.33. Therefore, the index of refraction for the second medium is approximately 1.33.

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