Refraction

Question 1

What does the refractive index measure?

Answer 1

It’s a quantitative measure for the optical density of a medium.

And is a measure of how much a material slows light down and therefore changes its direction.

The higher the density, the slower light travels through that medium. (Glass and water)

Question 2

What is refraction?

Answer 2

The change in direction of light as it travels from one medium to another, due to the different speeds of light in each medium.

Question 3

What is the critical angle?

Answer 3

The smallest angle of incidence for which total internal reflection occurs.