Question
If glass is denser than water and a laser passes through what happens to the angle of refraction?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
When a laser passes from a less dense medium (like air) into a denser medium (like glass) and then into a less dense medium again (like water), the behavior of the light can be analyzed using Snell's law, which states that \( n_1 \sin(\theta_1) = n_2 \sin(\theta_2) \).
- When the light enters the glass from air, it will bend towards the normal because glass is denser than air. This means the angle of refraction in the glass will be smaller than the angle of incidence in the air.
- Once the light exits the glass and enters water (which is also less dense than glass), it will bend away from the normal, as it is moving from a denser medium (glass) to a less dense medium (water).
Overall summary:
- When light travels into the denser medium (glass), the angle of refraction decreases (bends towards the normal).
- When light exits the denser medium (glass) into a less dense medium (water), the angle of refraction increases (bends away from the normal).
Hence, the final angle of refraction when entering the water would be greater than the angle it had while in the glass.
- When the light enters the glass from air, it will bend towards the normal because glass is denser than air. This means the angle of refraction in the glass will be smaller than the angle of incidence in the air.
- Once the light exits the glass and enters water (which is also less dense than glass), it will bend away from the normal, as it is moving from a denser medium (glass) to a less dense medium (water).
Overall summary:
- When light travels into the denser medium (glass), the angle of refraction decreases (bends towards the normal).
- When light exits the denser medium (glass) into a less dense medium (water), the angle of refraction increases (bends away from the normal).
Hence, the final angle of refraction when entering the water would be greater than the angle it had while in the glass.