The refractive index of water is 1.33. What is the angle of refraction if light (in air) strikes water at an angle of incidence of a 24°?

1 Answer
Jun 18, 2016

It is 17^\circ.

Explanation:

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The Snell's law tell us that when you have two medium with refraction index n_1 and n_2 the equation is

n_1sin(theta_1)=n_2sin(theta_2)

with theta_1 and theta_2 the angle in the first medium and the angle in the second medium respectively.

For us the initial angle is theta_1=27^\circ and n_2=1.33.
In order to calculate \theta_2 we need to know n_1. We assume that n_1=1 for air, even if it depends on the density and temperature of it.

Then our equations is

1*sin(27^\circ)=1.33*sin(theta_2)

theta_2=arcsin(sin(27^\circ)/1.33)\approx17^\circ.