What is the term for the bending of light as it passes from one medium into another with a different refractive index?

What is the term for the bending of light as it passes from one medium into another with a different refractive index?

• A. Refraction
• B. Reflection
• C. Dispersion
• D. Diffraction

Answer: (B)

The bending of light when it passes from one medium into another with a different refractive index is refraction. Light changes speed in the new material, and that speed change makes its path tilt at the boundary. Snell’s Law, n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2, describes how the angles relate to the refractive indices. The amount and direction of bending depend on whether the light slows down or speeds up as it enters the new medium: it bends toward the normal when entering a denser medium and away from the normal when entering a less dense one. Reflection, on the other hand, is light bouncing off the boundary; dispersion and diffraction are different effects related to color separation and bending around obstacles or openings, respectively.

The bending of light when it passes from one medium into another with a different refractive index is refraction. Light changes speed in the new material, and that speed change makes its path tilt at the boundary. Snell’s Law, n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2, describes how the angles relate to the refractive indices. The amount and direction of bending depend on whether the light slows down or speeds up as it enters the new medium: it bends toward the normal when entering a denser medium and away from the normal when entering a less dense one. Reflection, on the other hand, is light bouncing off the boundary; dispersion and diffraction are different effects related to color separation and bending around obstacles or openings, respectively.