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3 votes
2 answers
134 views

Why is $c = \frac{1}{\sqrt{\mu_0 \epsilon_0}}$?

I'm sorry if this is a duplicate but I didn't find my answer. I'm currently studying maxwell's equations and I know that by comparing the wave equation for either the magnetic or the electric field \...
Axodarap's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

Dielectric constant change in the atmosphere?

I'm curious about the refractive index changing in the atmosphere. As I understand it (and I may very well be wrong/naive) when a ray of light enters from one medium into another, the electric field ...
Aidan's user avatar
  • 90
1 vote
2 answers
453 views

Contradiction on the behavior of refractive index

The refractive index is given by: $$ n = \sqrt{\mu_r \epsilon_r} $$ This equation is symmetric about wavelength and is same for all wavelength of light i.e. since $\mu_r$ and $\epsilon_r$ are ...
Parth Goyal's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
800 views

Why phase velocity of light is slower in a dielectric than vacuum?

Why does light speed suffer a reduction when it passes through a homogeneous dielectric medium? I know my math says so, i.e.- a highly polarizable ($\chi$) medium is associated with high $\epsilon$ (=$...
Joy's user avatar
  • 31
8 votes
4 answers
29k views

Real and imaginary parts of dielectric constant vs refractive index?

So for a complex dielectric constant $\epsilon = \epsilon_a + i\epsilon_b$, the wave vector and index of refraction are related to it through $k = \frac{\omega}{c}n$ and $n = \sqrt{\frac{\mu \epsilon}{...
YungHummmma's user avatar
  • 2,913