Refractive index of water relative to air is 1.33 and that of an oil w...
Refractive index of water relative to air is 1.33 and that of an oil w...
**Refractive Index**
The refractive index is a fundamental property of a material that describes how light propagates through it. It is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the material.
**Refractive Index of Water Relative to Air**
Given that the refractive index of water relative to air is 1.33, it means that light travels 1.33 times slower in water than in air. This can be attributed to the difference in the density and molecular structure of water compared to air.
**Refractive Index of Oil Relative to Air**
Similarly, the refractive index of oil relative to air is 1.45. This means that light travels 1.45 times slower in oil than in air. The refractive index of oil can vary depending on the type and composition of the oil.
**Refractive Index of Oil Relative to Water**
To find the refractive index of oil relative to water, we can use the equation:
Refractive Index of Oil relative to Water = (Refractive Index of Oil relative to Air) / (Refractive Index of Water relative to Air)
Substituting the given values, we have:
Refractive Index of Oil relative to Water = 1.45 / 1.33 = 1.09
Therefore, the refractive index of oil relative to water is 1.09. This means that light travels 1.09 times slower in oil than in water.
**Refractive Index of Water Relative to Oil**
To find the refractive index of water relative to oil, we can use the reciprocal of the refractive index of oil relative to water:
Refractive Index of Water relative to Oil = 1 / (Refractive Index of Oil relative to Water)
Substituting the value we found earlier, we have:
Refractive Index of Water relative to Oil = 1 / 1.09 ≈ 0.92
Therefore, the refractive index of water relative to oil is approximately 0.92. This means that light travels 0.92 times slower in water than in oil.
**Summary**
- Refractive index of water relative to air: 1.33
- Refractive index of oil relative to air: 1.45
- Refractive index of oil relative to water: 1.09
- Refractive index of water relative to oil: 0.92
These values describe how light propagates through different materials and are important in understanding the behavior of light when it passes through interfaces between these substances.