Snell's Law describes the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction when light passes from one medium to another. It states that the ratio of the sines of the angles of incidence and refraction is equal to the ratio of the refractive indices of the two media. Understanding this law is crucial for predicting how light will bend when entering different materials, like water or glass. It's all about how light changes speed!
Refraction happens because light travels at different speeds in different materials. When light moves from a faster medium (like air) to a slower medium (like water), it bends towards the normal (an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface). The amount of bending depends on the refractive indices of the two media. Time to test your knowledge! ✨
Match the terms with their definitions:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1. Angle of Incidence | A. The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another. |
| 2. Angle of Refraction | B. A measure of how much a medium slows down light. |
| 3. Refraction | C. The angle between the refracted ray and the normal. |
| 4. Refractive Index | D. The angle between the incident ray and the normal. |
| 5. Normal | E. A line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence. |
Complete the following paragraph using the words provided:
(Snell's Law, refractive index, bending, angles, medium)
__________ describes the __________ of light as it passes from one __________ to another. The law relates the __________ of incidence and refraction to the __________ of each medium.
Explain, in your own words, why light bends when it enters a different medium. What causes this phenomenon?
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