How does refraction of light take place?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of light refraction, specifically addressing how and why light shifts towards the normal when transitioning from a rarer to a denser medium. Participants explore various explanations and underlying principles, including conservation of momentum and the relationship between density and refractive index.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants inquire about the mechanism of light refraction and question why light shifts towards the normal when moving from a rarer to a denser medium.
  • There are mentions of conservation of momentum as a potential explanation for the bending of light.
  • One participant challenges the conservation of momentum argument by questioning why light does not bend away from the normal with the same angle it bends towards it.
  • Another participant suggests that diffraction might be a cause of refraction, prompting further exploration of this idea.
  • References are made to specific literature and examples, such as the properties of the fluorocarbon FC-75, to illustrate that denser materials do not always correlate with a higher index of refraction.
  • Clarifications are provided regarding the terminology of "density" versus "refractive index" in the context of the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the explanations for refraction, particularly regarding the role of conservation of momentum and the relationship between density and refractive index. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the assumptions made about the definitions of density and refractive index, as well as the lack of consensus on the explanations for the observed behavior of light during refraction.

Parbat
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how does refraction of light take place?And why does it always shift towards the normal while traveling from rarer to denser medium,why not away from normal?
 
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Did you check Wikipedia?
 


Parbat said:
how does refraction of light take place?And why does it always shift towards the normal while traveling from rarer to denser medium,why not away from normal?

Conservation of momentum.
 


Andy Resnick said:
Conservation of momentum.

If it is conservation of momentum,then why doesn't the light bend away from the normal
with the same angle it bends towards normal?there would also be conservation of momentum,is'nt it?
 


Do you think diffraction is the cause of refraction?
 


Parbat said:
If it is conservation of momentum,then why doesn't the light bend away from the normal
with the same angle it bends towards normal?there would also be conservation of momentum,is'nt it?

I don't understand what you mean. When light enters a more optically dense medium, it refracts towards the normal. When it exits back to the less dense medium, it refracts away from the normal.
 


Parbat said:
how does refraction of light take place?And why does it always shift towards the normal while traveling from rarer to denser medium,why not away from normal?
Here is as good an explanation that I know of. Read the paragraph titled "Refraction" at this link:
http://esfscience.wordpress.com/category/a2-physics/page/2/​
(You are looking for this figure:
[PLAIN]http://esfscience.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/soldiers.gif?w=300&h=260)

Bob S said:
The density of the inert transparent fluorocarbon FC-75 is 1.76 (MORE than water), and the index of refraction is 1.276 (LESS than water). Denser liquids do not always have a higher index of refraction.
I am sure the OP meant denser in the sense of having a higher refractive index, not in the mass-per-unit-volume sense of the word.
 
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