Question:

Express the refractive index of Medium 2 with respect to Medium 1 in terms of the speed of light in both media.
path of a ray of light going from Medium 1 to Medium  2

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The refractive index \( n \) is the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the medium, and it determines how much light bends when passing through the medium.
Updated On: May 19, 2025
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Solution and Explanation

The refractive index \( n \) of a medium is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum \( c \) to the speed of light in the medium \( v \): \[ n = \frac{c}{v} \] where \( c \) is the speed of light in vacuum and \( v \) is the speed of light in the medium. The refractive index of Medium 2 with respect to Medium 1 is given by: \[ n_{21} = \frac{v_1}{v_2} \] where \( v_1 \) is the speed of light in Medium 1, and \( v_2 \) is the speed of light in Medium 2. Thus, the refractive index of Medium 2 with respect to Medium 1 is \( n_{21} = \frac{v_1}{v_2} \).
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