Does the refractive index law change according to the medium

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the refractive index law and its application in different media, specifically concerning the angles of incidence and refraction in a scenario involving water and air.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between angles of incidence and refraction, questioning the definitions of these angles and their corresponding refractive indices in different media.

Discussion Status

The conversation includes attempts to clarify the application of the refractive index law, with some participants suggesting that consistency in labeling angles is crucial. There is an ongoing exploration of how the angles relate to the mediums involved.

Contextual Notes

There is a mention of a specific answer provided by the original poster, which has prompted questions about the labeling of angles and the corresponding refractive indices. The discussion reflects a lack of consensus on the interpretation of the angles in relation to the media.

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The refrative index law should be sine(i)/sine(r) but in the answer he done the opposite. I included the answer in the bottom of the question.
 

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It just depends on what you call i and r and which angle you know.

You can also write it as ##\sin(\alpha) n_\alpha = \sin(\beta) n_\beta## where nα means the refractive index of the medium where you have the angle α and similar for β. Usually, one medium is air with n=1.
 
In the question provided, the i angle is the one from the lamp in the water and the r is the one in the air.

What do you think about the answer I attached? Why is the r angle is the one in the water?!
 
As I said, it does not matter how you call them, you just have to be consistent. n refers to the water, so the sine in the denominator on the other side should use the angle in the water here.
 
Ok. Thank you very much.
 

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