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In a certain time, light travels 4.55 km in a vacuum. During the same time, light travels only 3.50 km in a liquid. What is the refractive index of the liquid?

Answer :

Answer:

The refractive index of the liquid is 1.3

Explanation:

Refractive index is a dimensionless number that describes how fast light travels through a material.

It is also defined as speed of light in vacuum to speed of light in the medium.

Refractive index = speed of light in vacuum/ speed of light in liquid

Given;

speed of light in vacuum = 4.55 km/t

speed of light in liquid = 3.5 km/t

Refractive index = 4.55/3.5

Refractive index = 1.3

Therefore, the refractive index of the liquid is 1.3

Answer:

Refractive index of the liquid = 1.3

Explanation:

The refractive index (n) also called the index of refraction is the ratio of the velocity/speed of light in free space (air or vacuum) to the velocity/speed of the light as it passes through another medium (say liquid).

The refractive index (n) has no unit and is given by;

n = [tex]\frac{V_{v} }{V_{l} }[/tex]  -------------------------- (i)

Where, as stated in the question;

[tex]V_{v}[/tex] is the velocity/speed of the light in vacuum and

[tex]V_{l}[/tex] is the velocity/speed of the light in liquid

[tex]V_{v}[/tex] = distance traveled by light in vacuum / time taken in the vacuum

[tex]V_{l}[/tex] = distance traveled by the light in the liquid / time taken in the liquid.

Since the times taken are the same in both the vacuum and the liquid, let the times taken be t.

=> [tex]V_{v}[/tex] = distance traveled in vacuum / t = 4.55/t

=> [tex]V_{l}[/tex] = distance traveled in liquid / t = 3.50/t

Substituting for the values of [tex]V_{v}[/tex] and [tex]V_{l}[/tex] in equation (i), we have;

=> n = [tex]\frac{4.55/t}{3.50/t}[/tex]

=> n = [tex]\frac{4.55}{t}[/tex] ÷ [tex]\frac{3.50}{t}[/tex]

=> n = [tex]\frac{4.55}{t}[/tex] x [tex]\frac{t}{3.50}[/tex]

=> n = 1.3

The refractive index of the liquid is 1.3

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