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tkoos2
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Hi everyone! Just wondering why when light hits glass it can pass through and be reflected at the same time. I'd like the classical and quantum explanation if possible. Also try to keep it simple. Thank you!
tkoos2 said:Hi everyone! Just wondering why when light hits glass it can pass through and be reflected at the same time. I'd like the classical and quantum explanation if possible. Also try to keep it simple. Thank you!
Reflection is the bouncing back of light when it hits a surface. When light hits a smooth surface, such as glass, it bounces back at the same angle it hit the surface.
Refraction is the bending of light as it passes through a medium, such as glass. When light travels from one medium to another with a different density, it changes speed and direction, causing it to bend.
The main difference between reflection and refraction is that reflection involves the bouncing back of light while refraction involves the bending of light. Reflection occurs when light hits a surface, while refraction occurs when light passes through a medium with a different density.
Glass affects the path of light by causing it to bend or refract as it passes through. The amount of bending depends on the density of the glass and the angle at which the light hits the surface of the glass.
The index of refraction is a measure of how much a medium, such as glass, can bend light. It is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the medium. The higher the index of refraction, the more the light will bend when passing through the medium.