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Asked by 535purple26 to Simon on 16 May 2018.
Question: What is refractive index
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Simon Masha answered on 16 May 2018:
In optics, the refractive index or index of refraction of a material is a dimensionless number that describes how light propagates through that medium. It is defined as n = c/v where c is the speed of light in vacuum and v is the phase velocity of light in the medium. For example, the refractive index of water is 1.333, meaning that light travels 1.333 times faster in a vacuum than in the water. The refractive index determines how much the path of light is bent or refracted when entering a material. This is the first documented use of refractive indices and is described by Snell’s law of refraction.
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Shilla commented on :
The speed of light is determined by the medium (material) through which the light is travelling. Light travels faster in a vacuum than it does in any other medium.
Light changes speed as it passes from one medium to another. This is called refraction.
The frequency of light does not change as it refracts.
Refractive index of a material is a measure of the change in speed of light as it passes from a vacuum (or air as an approximation) into the material.