What does Snell's Law describe?

What does Snell's Law describe?

• A. The speed of light in a vacuum
• B. The relationship between angles of incidence and refraction of light
• C. The amount of light absorbed by a medium
• D. The frequency of light waves in different mediums

Answer: (B)

Snell's Law describes the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction when light passes from one medium into another. It establishes a mathematical relationship that can be expressed with the formula: n₁ * sin(θ₁) = n₂ * sin(θ₂), where n denotes the refractive indices of the two media, and θ represents the angles of incidence and refraction. This law is fundamental in understanding how light behaves at the interface of two different materials and is crucial for applications such as lens design and optical fiber technology. The other options address different aspects of light. The speed of light in a vacuum is a constant and does not change under Snell's Law. Similarly, while the absorption of light by a medium and its frequency in various media are important concepts in optics, they are not what Snell's Law specifically describes. Therefore, the focus of Snell's Law on the angles of incidence and refraction is what makes it particularly significant in the study of optics.

Snell's Law describes the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction when light passes from one medium into another. It establishes a mathematical relationship that can be expressed with the formula: n₁ * sin(θ₁) = n₂ * sin(θ₂), where n denotes the refractive indices of the two media, and θ represents the angles of incidence and refraction. This law is fundamental in understanding how light behaves at the interface of two different materials and is crucial for applications such as lens design and optical fiber technology.

The other options address different aspects of light. The speed of light in a vacuum is a constant and does not change under Snell's Law. Similarly, while the absorption of light by a medium and its frequency in various media are important concepts in optics, they are not what Snell's Law specifically describes. Therefore, the focus of Snell's Law on the angles of incidence and refraction is what makes it particularly significant in the study of optics.