Light Refraction: Causes & Angle Impact

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    Light Refraction
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Light refraction is primarily caused by a change in the speed of light as it passes through different media, with the angle of incidence also playing a significant role. The Huygens-Fresnel principle provides a classical explanation for this phenomenon, emphasizing the importance of light's speed change. Refraction occurs towards the thicker part of an optical lens due to the varying densities of the materials involved. While quantum field theory offers a deeper understanding, a classical optics approach suffices for most discussions. The conversation highlights a preference for simpler explanations over complex quantum mechanics.
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What cause the refraction of light? I read somewhere the change of speed but the angle is also important. But why the light refract to the thicker part of an optical lens?
 
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Before you treat this question quantum-theoretically, which involves the propagation of photons in matter, i.e., you have to calculate the photon-polarization tensor in finite-temperature quantum field theory, you should look at the classical theory, how the dielectric function (more generally tensor) is evaluated within simple classical models of matter. The final outcome is amazingly close to the quantum treatment.
 
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brian.green said:
What cause the refraction of light? I read somewhere the change of speed but the angle is also important.

With the Huygens–Fresnel principle refraction can be explained with the change of the speed of light only.
 
My guess is you don't really want a quantum field theory answer ?

More an optics of hyperphysics kind of answer ?
 
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