A ray of red light passes from a liquid to a transparent solid - Scottish Highers Physics - Question 12 - 2017
Question 12
A ray of red light passes from a liquid to a transparent solid.
The solid and the liquid have the same refractive index for this light.
Which row in the table shows ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A ray of red light passes from a liquid to a transparent solid - Scottish Highers Physics - Question 12 - 2017
Step 1
Speed
96%
114 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
When light passes from one medium to another with the same refractive index, its speed remains unchanged. This is because the refractive index (n) is given by the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum (c) to the speed of light in the medium (v):
n=vc
Since the refractive indices are the same, the speed of light doesn't change.
Step 2
Wavelength
99%
104 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
The wavelength of light also remains unchanged when moving between two media with the same refractive index. The relationship between the speed (v), frequency (f), and wavelength (λ) is given by:
v=f⋅λ
Since the frequency of light remains constant, and the speed does not change, the wavelength will also not change.
Step 3
Row Selection
96%
101 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
Based on the above analysis, both the speed and wavelength of red light remain unchanged as it passes from the liquid into the solid. Therefore, the correct option in the table is:
E: no change in speed, no change in wavelength.
Join the Scottish Highers students using SimpleStudy...