All Questions
68
questions
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Is there a good quantum explanation of refraction? [duplicate]
I'm aware of the classical explanation of refraction which deals with light being a wave that gets "slowed" down while passing from a medium to another. One problem that I have with this ...
- 99
-1
votes
1
answer
78
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Inconvenience of speed of light in optic fiber
As far as I'm concerned, optic fiber is great in order to transport information quickly using light. Since light needs to undergo total internal reflection every single time it hits the walls of the ...
- 1,616
1
vote
1
answer
94
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When light passes from one medium to another. Depending on the density, it would experience a change in velocity. Why would its vector change as well?
For example, when light passes through water its velocity decreases and refraction occurs. Why? Why is there a change in direction. If I slow down a car I don’t suddenly turn left.
3
votes
1
answer
102
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Can the refractive index of a medium be negative?(<0)
Recently I was asked in a test what would happen if the refractive index of a medium was negative. Is it possible really? The refractive index is the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum and ...
- 41
2
votes
1
answer
119
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What is the speed of light in case of Critical Angle?
When light travels from an optically denser to a rarer medium, it bends away from the normal and at a specific angle of incidence, the angle of refraction is ${90}^{\circ}$. When the angle of ...
0
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0
answers
45
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Does Color change happen under a prism? [duplicate]
I was watching this video.
It Showed that light ( green ) changes its color to red after incidence of light. I couldn't think of how this happens because light's color is dependent on frequency rather ...
- 441
0
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0
answers
39
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Why does speed of light relate to the density of the surrounding medium?
Why does the speed of light relate to the refractive index of its surrounding medium while it is a massless electromagnetic wave?
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1
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62
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Refraction of light with different wavelengths [closed]
A red light and blue light enter a rectangular glass block normal to its surface at the same time. Strictly speaking, after passing through the block, which pulse exits first?
Should I consider their ...
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1
vote
1
answer
149
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How does a refractive index of less than one not violate relativity?
If I am not mistaken, this video says that X-rays travel faster in glass than in a vacuum. Special Relativity says that information can not travel faster than the speed of light in a vacuum, so what ...
0
votes
2
answers
161
views
Change of speed of light in case of normal incidence
According to Snell's Law:
$n_1\sin θ_1~=~n_2\sin \theta_2.$
If, $\theta_1 = \theta_2 =~0$
there is no bending but the speed of light changes according to the refractive index.
Is this the case or I am ...
user355398
2
votes
0
answers
102
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Why does refractive index increase with concentration of the medium?
I learnt that lights decrease velocity in a medium during absorbance and emission of its energy in the charged particles in the medium. From the Beer's law, I read that absorbance is directly ...
- 21
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1
answer
79
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A world where speed of light is slower than regular objects
The subject explains the question.
Any idea of what a universe would be like where speed of light is a lot slower? Like, slower than sound, aeroplane, bullets etc.
0
votes
1
answer
51
views
What is the definition of absolute refractive index of a medium?
I know the definition is the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to the phase velocity of light in the given medium. Here, which color of light do we consider while calculating the ratio? For ...
- 11
0
votes
0
answers
40
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Speed of light exiting a prism [duplicate]
When light travels through a medium, even a sparse medium, it slows down from the speed of light in vacuum to the speed of light in that medium.
When that light re-enters a true vacuum, it will resume ...
3
votes
2
answers
306
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Speed of photon
Background:
I originally asked this question
Does a single photon propagate with phase velocity or front velocity through a dispersive material? about the speed of a single photon in a dispersive ...
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