Question
What happens when light travels through a different medium?
Light waves reflect when they travel through a different medium.
Light waves refract when they travel through a different medium.
Light waves always stop moving when they hit a different medium.
Light waves speed up when they travel through a different medium.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
When light travels through a different medium, the most relevant phenomenon is:
**Light waves refract when they travel through a different medium.**
Refraction occurs because light travels at different speeds in different materials. This change in speed causes the light waves to change direction at the boundary between the two media.
Additionally:
- **Reflection** can also occur when light encounters a boundary, but this is not the only outcome of traveling through a different medium.
- **Light waves do not stop moving** when they hit a different medium; rather, they continue to propagate, but their speed and direction can change.
- **Light waves may speed up or slow down** depending on the medium. For example, light travels faster in air than in water or glass.
In summary, refraction is the primary effect observed when light transitions between different mediums.
**Light waves refract when they travel through a different medium.**
Refraction occurs because light travels at different speeds in different materials. This change in speed causes the light waves to change direction at the boundary between the two media.
Additionally:
- **Reflection** can also occur when light encounters a boundary, but this is not the only outcome of traveling through a different medium.
- **Light waves do not stop moving** when they hit a different medium; rather, they continue to propagate, but their speed and direction can change.
- **Light waves may speed up or slow down** depending on the medium. For example, light travels faster in air than in water or glass.
In summary, refraction is the primary effect observed when light transitions between different mediums.