Snell's Law Question: Fish in a Fish Tank

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on applying Snell's Law to determine the actual distance between a fish in an aquarium and a can of fish food outside the tank. The user initially used the formula s'=(n2/n1)s with n2 as 1.33 (water) and n1 as 1.00 (air), resulting in an incorrect answer of 65.2 cm. Upon reconsideration, the user correctly identifies that the indices of refraction should be switched, leading to the calculation of (49/1.33), which yields an apparent distance of 36.8 cm. This adjustment aligns with the principles of optics regarding perspectives from different media.

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  • Understanding of Snell's Law and refraction indices
  • Basic knowledge of optics and light behavior in different media
  • Familiarity with the concept of apparent depth in physics
  • Ability to manipulate and solve equations involving ratios
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation and applications of Snell's Law in various contexts
  • Learn about the concept of apparent depth and how it relates to real-world scenarios
  • Explore the effects of different materials on light refraction
  • Practice solving problems involving refraction in multiple media
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Students studying physics, particularly those focusing on optics, as well as educators looking for practical examples of Snell's Law applications.

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Homework Statement



A fish in a flat-sided aquarium sees a can of fish food on the counter. To the fish's eye, the can looks to be 49 cm outside the aquarium. What is the actual distance between the can and the aquarium? (You can ignore the thin glass wall of the aquarium.)

Homework Equations



s'=(n2/n1)s

The Attempt at a Solution



So at first I set n2=1.33 (the refraction index of water) and n1=1.00 (the refraction index of air). s= 49 cm. The answer of 65.2 that I got was wrong. I'm thinking maybe I have to switch up the variables, since it is from the perspective of the fish. Would it make sense to set n2= 1.00 and n2= 1.33? Would (49/1.33)=36.8 be the right answer? I have one more attempt and I don't want to risk it unless I'm 100% positive.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Yes, it makes sense to switch indices of refraction in the formula for the apparent depth as seen from the rarer medium.
 

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