Wavelenght, index of refraction and speed

In summary, the wavelength of a red helium-neon laser light in air is 632.8 nm. To find its frequency, use the equation f=c/λ, where f is frequency, c is the speed of light, and λ is wavelength. The frequency is calculated to be 4.7 x 10^16 Hz. To find the wavelength in glass with an index of refraction of 1.50, use the equation n=λ_0/λ, where n is the index of refraction, λ_0 is the wavelength in air, and λ is the wavelength in the glass. Finally, to determine the speed of the light in the glass, use the equation v=c/n, where v is the
  • #1
dev-hud
16
0
THe wavelength of a red helium-neon laser light in air is 632.8 nm.

A) what is the frequency? ( i already figured this out to be 4.7 x 10^16)

B) what is its wavelenght in glass that has an index of refraction of 1.50?( i do not know where to or if i have to plug in the refraction into an equation and if i do what equation do i use?)

C) what is its speed in the glass? ( is this then related to question B? because i do not know how now to bring in v into the equation and what the equation is. i am just confuzed)
 
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  • #2
[tex]n=\frac{\lambda_0}{\lambda}[/tex]

[tex]\lambda_0[/tex] is the wavelength in air.

Part c should be easy once you have part b.
 
  • #3
dev-hud said:
A) what is the frequency? ( i already figured this out to be 4.7 x 10^16)

Btw, you might want to double check that. If your units are Hz, I think you are a couple orders of magnitude off.
 

1. What is Wavelength and how is it related to light?

Wavelength is the distance between two consecutive peaks or troughs in a wave. In terms of light, it refers to the distance between two consecutive crests or troughs in an electromagnetic wave. The shorter the wavelength, the higher the energy of the light. This means that light with shorter wavelengths, such as ultraviolet and x-ray, have higher frequencies and more energy than light with longer wavelengths, such as infrared and radio waves.

2. What is the Index of Refraction and how does it affect light?

The index of refraction is a measure of how much a material can bend light as it passes through it. It is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in a medium. The higher the index of refraction, the more the light is bent as it passes through the material. This is why objects appear to be distorted when viewed through a curved lens or glass.

3. How does the Index of Refraction affect the speed of light?

The index of refraction does not affect the actual speed of light, which is a constant in a vacuum. However, when light passes through a medium with a higher index of refraction, it will slow down due to the increased interactions with the atoms and molecules in the material. The speed of light in a medium is given by the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the index of refraction of the material.

4. What is the relationship between Wavelength and Index of Refraction?

There is an inverse relationship between the wavelength of light and the index of refraction of a material. As the wavelength decreases, the index of refraction increases. This is because shorter wavelengths have more energy and are more easily absorbed and scattered by the atoms and molecules in a material, causing the light to slow down.

5. How do Wavelength and Index of Refraction affect the propagation of light?

The wavelength and index of refraction of a material play a crucial role in determining the propagation of light. When light travels through different materials with varying indices of refraction, it can bend, scatter, or even be absorbed by the material. This is why we see phenomena such as refraction, reflection, and diffraction when light interacts with different substances. The wavelength also determines the color of light we see, with shorter wavelengths appearing as blue or violet and longer wavelengths appearing as red or orange.

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