Understanding Snell's Law: How to Know When Light Bends

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SUMMARY

This discussion centers on understanding Snell's Law and its application in predicting the bending of light when transitioning between different media. Key insights include that light bends towards the perpendicular in denser media, and the dispersion of colors, such as red and violet, is influenced by their respective speeds in different materials. The user seeks clarity on how to qualitatively assess the dispersion of colors in various prisms, specifically comparing air and water prisms, and expresses confusion over the necessary formulas involving wavelength and the index of refraction.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Snell's Law and its mathematical formulation
  • Familiarity with the concept of the index of refraction
  • Basic knowledge of light dispersion and wavelength
  • Concept of media density and its effect on light behavior
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the mathematical formulation of Snell's Law in detail
  • Research the relationship between wavelength and index of refraction
  • Explore the concept of light dispersion in different media, focusing on prisms
  • Learn about the speed of light in various substances and its impact on color separation
USEFUL FOR

Students studying optics, physics educators, and anyone interested in the principles of light behavior and dispersion in different media.

Elbobo
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Not really a homework question, but I don't understand the concept. How do I know when the light bends upward or downward? How do I know qualitatively how much the red and violet lights disperse apart?

I know it has something to do with Snell's law, but I can't seem to get the necessary equations to predict what happens. My teacher hasn't explained it, nor does my book.
 
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Elbobo said:
How do I know when the light bends upward or downward?

Light always is nearer the perpendicular in the denser medium.
How do I know qualitatively how much the red and violet lights disperse apart?

It depends on the speed of red and violet light …

cacluating those speeds is way too difficult for your course :wink:
 


Oooh, ok I understand the answer to my first question now, thanks :)

On the 2nd part, I figured as much, but I'm not trying to calculate exact speeds. For example, if I were to compare the dispersion of colors in Air-Prism vs. Water-Prism, how do I determine if the colors expand or contract? That's where I tried to find a formula combining wavelength and index of refraction, only to get confused and wind up here. =/
 

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