Refractive Index
Different materials refract light by different amounts. Refraction occurs because light travels at different speeds in different media.
The refractive index n = c / v where c = speed of light in a vacuum and v is the speed of light in that particular material. 

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Key terms in this lesson
- refraction
- The change in direction of a wave as it crosses a boundary between two media, caused by a change in wave speed.