What is the refractive index?

The refractive index is a numeric value that indicates the way in which light will pass through a specific substance in relation to the vacuum. The index is generally marked as a decimal value, but is based on the speed of light in the vacuum divided by the speed of light passing through a particular medium such as glass or water. These other media tend to reduce the speed of light and change its direction, so the resulting number is more than one. The refractive index for the material may vary for different light spectra; Therefore, the index usually also marks the type of light energy used. When people generally refer to the speed of light, about 3x10 8 meters per second (m/s), this usually refer to the speed of light via vacuum. This speed is a constant is the standard that compares different speeds against the light and determination of the refractive index for a particular material.

refracts the refractive indexE will reduce the speed of light when traveling through a particular medium. For example, as light passes from vacuum to clear glass, it still passes through glass, but greater glass density changes the way the light passes. The light is slowed down as it passes through the glass, and its direction changes slightly as they walk through the glass; This applies to any type of clear material. This effect can often be observed by placing a straight stick in the water body. As the light traveling from the stick to the eye of the person travels between water and air is broken and the stick seems to be bent in the water.

To determine the quarry index, someone determines the speed of light passing through this medium and then distributes light speed in vacuum speed in the medium. This value is marked as a decimal house and this number is referred to as the refractive index for this material. The index for a particular medium may vary slightly for different light frequencies, and therefore the type of light used, often yellow light is usually marked. Water has a refractive index of about 1.33, which marksMen that the light in the vacuum travels about 1.33 times faster than the light in the water, while the diamonds have an index of about 2.4, which means that the light travels twice as fast as via a diamond.