High School

In the context of light traveling from lucite (n=1.5) to air (n=1), does the light ray bend closer to the normal or farther away from the normal?

A) Closer to the normal
B) Farther away from the normal
C) No bending occurs
D) Depends on the incident angle

Answer :

Final answer:

Light traveling from lucite to air bends away from the normal because it moves from a medium with a higher index of refraction to one with a lower index, which increases its speed. Therefore, the correct answar is b) Farther away from the normal

Explanation:

When light travels from a medium with a higher index of refraction to a medium with a lower index of refraction, such as from lucite (n=1.5) to air (n=1), the light ray bends away from the normal.

This is because the speed of light increases as it passes into the less optically dense medium (air), causing the light to change direction and move farther away from the line perpendicular to the interface between the two media, known as the normal.

This behavior is a result of Snell's Law, which outlines the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction and the indices of refraction of the two media.