BRAINCAKE

Refractive Index

OCR AS-level PhysicsWavesLesson 9 of 15

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

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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.

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