What is refraction of light?
Answer
Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one transparent medium to another due to a change in its speed.
The working
Definition
When light travels from one medium to another, its speed changes, causing the ray to bend at the boundary. This bending is called refraction.
Cause
Light travels at different speeds in different media; it slows down in a denser medium and speeds up in a rarer medium, which changes its direction.
Bending rule
A ray bends towards the normal when it enters a denser medium and away from the normal when it enters a rarer medium.
Snell's law
The refraction follows n₁ sin i = n₂ sin r, where n is the refractive index and i, r are the angles of incidence and refraction.
Examples
Refraction explains why a pencil looks bent in water, why a pool appears shallower than it is, and how lenses form images.
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