How does light behave as it transitions to a less dense medium?

How does light behave as it transitions to a less dense medium?

• A. It bends towards the normal
• B. It slows down
• C. It speeds up and bends away from the normal
• D. Its speed remains unchanged

Answer: (C)

When light transitions from a denser medium, such as glass or water, to a less dense medium, like air, it undergoes refraction. During this process, the speed of light increases because light travels more quickly in less dense materials. As light exits the dense medium, it bends away from the normal line, which is an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence. The bending away from the normal occurs due to Snell's Law, which relates the angles of incidence and refraction to the indices of refraction of both media. The index of refraction is a measure of how much light slows down in a material compared to its speed in a vacuum. Consequently, moving from a higher index (denser medium) to a lower index (less dense medium), the light ray will speed up and bend away from the normal. This phenomenon is critical in understanding how lenses work and is applicable in various optical devices.

When light transitions from a denser medium, such as glass or water, to a less dense medium, like air, it undergoes refraction. During this process, the speed of light increases because light travels more quickly in less dense materials.

As light exits the dense medium, it bends away from the normal line, which is an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence. The bending away from the normal occurs due to Snell's Law, which relates the angles of incidence and refraction to the indices of refraction of both media. The index of refraction is a measure of how much light slows down in a material compared to its speed in a vacuum. Consequently, moving from a higher index (denser medium) to a lower index (less dense medium), the light ray will speed up and bend away from the normal.

This phenomenon is critical in understanding how lenses work and is applicable in various optical devices.