Answer to Question #132036 in Optics for Tara Ade

Question

Light travels from air (n = 1) into glass, where its velocity reduces to 2x108 m/s. What is the index of refraction for glass? Take speed of light in air to be 3x108 m/s

Answer 1

As per the given question,

Refractive index of air $(\mu_1) =1$

Speed of light in air $(c)=3\times 10^8 m/sec$

Velocity of light in the medium $(V)=2\times 10^8 m/sec$

Refractive index of medium $(\mu_2)=?$

We know that $\dfrac{\mu_2}{\mu_1} =\dfrac{c}{v}$

Now, substituting the values in the above,

$\mu_2 =\dfrac{c}{v}\mu_1$

$\Rightarrow \mu_2 =\dfrac{3\times 10^8}{2\times 10^8}$

$\Rightarrow \mu_2 =1.5$