How Can Snell's Law Help Calculate Apparent Depth in Water?

AI Thread Summary
To calculate the apparent depth of water using Snell's Law, the refractive index of water (4/3) is applied to the real depth of 10m. The formula used is (real depth/apparent depth) = refractive index, leading to an apparent depth of 7.5m. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding how light rays refract at the water's surface and suggests using trigonometric principles to analyze the angles involved. By examining the rays from a point source beneath the surface, one can derive the relationship between real and apparent depth. This approach effectively illustrates the application of Snell's Law in practical scenarios.
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Any help how to approach this problem.

The depth of pond is 10m. What is the apparent depth for a person looking normally to the water surface? ( Refractive index )water =4/3.
 
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i solved it by using the forumale (real depth/ apparent depth ) = refractive index

aparent depth comes out to be 7.5m.

My problem is how to get the relation
(real depth/ apparent depth ) = refractive index
 
Use Snell's law of refraction and a little trig. (Examine the rays emanating from a point source a distance d under the surface. See how those rays refract. Consider small angles directly above the source.)
 
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