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PHYSICS HW no 10. Topics: Refractive Index & Numerical problems on Refractive index. Date6/7/24
Q1. What is an optical medium? Give examples
A transparent medium through which light can pass is called optical medium. Example water, glass , air.
Q2. What is an optical density?
Ans : Optical density is the measure of how fast or slow light travels in a given medium.
Q3. What are the two types of optical medium based upon optical density?
The two types of optical medium are
a) Optically rarer medium in which speed of light is more. ( optical density is less)
b) Optically denser medium in which speed of light is less. ( Optical density is more )
Q4 What is refractive index? ( plural of index is indices)
Ans : Refractive index is a measure of the bending of a ray of light when passing from one medium into another ,
If medium one is air or vacuum then it is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light
in a medium. It is given by

nm is called the absolute refractive index of medium or refractive index of medium or refractive
index.

Q5) What is relative refractive index?

Ans
Let v1 be the speed of light in medium 1 and
v2 be the speed of light in medium 2.
The refractive index of medium 2 with respect to medium
1 is given by the ratio of the speed of light in medium 1
and the speed of light in medium 2.
This is usually represented by the symbol n21.

Note : a) Relative refractive index n21 = speed of incident ray in medium 1

speed of refracted ray in medium 2
b) n21
means Refractive index of medium 2 in which the light ray change its direction with respect
to medium 1 in which the ray of light is incident.
Q6) Write the formula for the relative refractive index of medium 1 with respect to medium 2
Ans ; The refractive index of medium 1 with respect to medium 2 is represented as n12 & It is given by

Q6 ) Prove that n21X n12=1

Ans n21= v1 /v2
& n12= v2/v1
By multiplying n21 X n12= v1 /v2 X v2/v1 =1

Therefore, n21= 1/ n12.

Q7) Refractive index of Glass with respect to water = nGW =1.125. Find the refractive index of water with
respect to Glass nWG
Ans : ngw= 1 / ngw
nwg = 1 / 1.125 = 1000/ 1125 = 0.889
Q8 ) If light travels from medium water into medium glass .
Write the formula for Refractive index of glass with respect
to water.
Ans ngw= Vw
Vg
ngw = Speed of light in water / speed of light in glass

Q9 Derive the formula for relation between relative refractive index and absolute refractive index.
Ans For example If a light travels from medium water into medium glass then refractive index of glass with
respect to water is given by

Absolute RI of glass ng= c/ Vg

Absolute RI of water nw= C/ Vw
From above three equations we can write
ngw= c/nw = ng / nw
c/ ng
So In general n21 = n 2/n1

Q10 What is the relation between Refractive index, optical density and speed of light?
Ans The light-ray bends towards the normal because the ray of light goes from a rarer medium to a
denser medium.
. nm = c/v This implies that
RI of medium is inversely proportional to the speed the light in the medium.
Refractive index of Speed of light Optical density Example :
medium of medium. RI of material medium
Denser / rarer
High refractive Less Denser medium Diamond nd =2.42
index
Low refractive index More Rarer medium Air na= 1.0003=1
RI increases decreases Denser medium

RI decreases increases Rarer medium

Q10. A ray of light travelling in air enters obliquely into water. Does the light ray bend towards the
normal or away from the normal ? Why ?
Ans The light-ray bends towards the normal because the ray of light goes from a rarer medium to a
denser medium.
Q11. Light enters from air to glass having refractive index 1.50. What is the speed of light in the glass ?
The speed of light in vacuum is 3 x 108 ms-1.
Solution:
Refractive index of glass, n g =
1.50
nm = c / vm
ng = c / vg
Q11 The RI of diamond is 2.42 & RI of Air is 1.0003. Out of these two, which one is optically denser
and which one is optically rarer. Justify your answer.
a) Diamond has highest refractive index (= 2.42), so it has highest optical density( denser medium)
b) Air has lowest refractive index (= 1.0003), so it has lowest optical density. ( rarer medium)
Q12 You are given kerosene, turpentine and water. In which of these does the light travel fastest ? If

Ans : Because water has the lowest refractive index, therefore light travels fastest in this optically rarer medium
than kerosene and turpentine oil.
Q12. The refractive index of diamond is 2.42. What is the meaning of this statement?
Ans : a) This means that the ratio of the speed of light in air and the speed of
light in water is equal to 2.42.
2.42 = C/ Vdiamond
or b) Vdiamond = c / 2.42 This means that the speed of light in diamond is slow by a factor 2.42
or Speed of light in glass = 1/ 2.42 times the speed of light in air .
c) Speed of light in air c =2.42 X Vg This means light travels 2.42 times faster in air than in
diamond
Q13. The refractive index of water with respect to air is 4/3 . What is the refractive index of air with respective to
water?
Ans refractive index of water with respect to air is= 4/3
SO refractive index of air with respect to water = 3 / 4 (resiprocal of 4/3 )

nwa = 1 / naw
Q14 The refractive index of water is 1.33 calculate the speed of light in water . If speed of light in in air is 3X 108 m
/s .
Ans Refractive index of water = speed of light in air / speed of light in water

SO speed of light in water = Speed of light in air / RI of water = 3X 10 8 m /s = 2.2556 X 108 m/s
1.33
Q15 )Refractive index of water is 4/3 & for glass it is 3/2 with respective to air. What is the RI of glass with
respect to water.
Ans : Refractive index of glass with respect to water ngw = ng /n w = 3/2
4/3
= 3/2 X 3 / 4 = 9/4 = 2.25
Q16 If the speed of light in water is 3/4 times the speed of light in vacuum . Find the refractive index of
water .
Ans Given
( V w) Speed of light in water = 3 /4 times the speed of light in vacuum .

RI of water nw = c / vw
nw = C = 4/3 = 1.33
¾C
Q17.What happens when a ray of light travels from rarer medium to
denser medium?
Ans : Refracted ray bend towards the normal and its speed will be
reduced.
Angle of refarction is less than the angle of incidence

Q18 What happens when a ray of light travels from Denser medium
to rear medium ( D-R )?
Ans : When light travels from a denser medium to a rarer medium,
the refracted ray bends away from the normal.
In this case angle of refraction is greater than angle of incidence .