Which medium is more dense? Is it water or air? Complete the sentences below. A ray passing from a ______ dense medium into a ______ dense medium, refracts towards the normal.
Answer (1)
What is Refraction?
Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another. This occurs due to the change in speed of light in different media.
What is Density in the Context of Light?
In the context of light propagation, a medium’s density affects the speed at which light travels. Higher density means light travels more slowly.
Why Does Light Refract Towards the Normal?
When light travels from a less dense medium, such as air, to a more dense medium, like water, it slows down. As it slows down, the light ray bends towards an imaginary line called the 'normal' line, which is perpendicular to the boundary between the two media.
**Practical Examples: **
A common real-life example of refraction is a straw appearing broken or bent when placed in a glass of water. This happens because of the change in light's speed and direction as it moves from air into water and vice versa.
