Light traveling through air at #3.0010^8# #m##/##s# reaches an unknown medium and slows down to #2.00 10^8# #m##/s.# What is the index of refraction of that medium?

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Answer 1 · 2016-02-13T01:36:06

#n = 1.5#

The index of refraction of a material is the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to the speed of light in the material.

#n_1=c_0/c_1#

where

#n_1# is the index of refraction of the material
#c_0# is the speed of light in a vacuum
#c_1# is the speed of light in the material

In this example

#c_0=3.00xx10^8m//s#
#c_1=2.00xx10^8m//s#

so the index of refraction of the unknown material is

#n_1=(3.00xx10^8m//s)/(2.00xx10^8m//s)=1.50#

Light traveling through air at #3.00*10^8# #m##/##s# reaches an unknown medium and slows down to #2.00 * 10^8# #m##/s.# What is the index of refraction of that medium?