1. Refraction of
Light
By: Julissa Ortiz & Carlos Hernandez

2. Objectives:
● Recognize situations where refraction
will occur.
● Identify which direction light will bend
when it passes from one medium to
another.

3. Introduction:
● We will discuss what refraction is and
look at different examples.
● We will talk about the change of
mediums, and how it deals with
refraction.
● Also, we will touch on Snell’s Law
and the index of refraction.

4. What is Refraction?
● The bending of light as it travels from
one medium to another.
● Refraction occurs when light’s velocity
changes.

5. Refraction
● There are different speed of light for
every material.
● Some are more dense than others.

6. Transparent Media

7. Air v.s Glass
● Air is less dense than glass.
● So when light moves from air to glass
the light is being bent to the normal.
● However when light moves from glass to
air the light is being refracted away from
the normal.

8. Direction

9. What Occurs?
● The wave fronts changes.
● The wavelength is shortened as the
speed of light is reduced in the
slower medium.
● The frequency does not change.

10. Wavelength

11. Objects Appear to be in
Different Positions

12. Snell’s Law
● Developed in 1621 by Williebrord Snell.
● Snell’s Law determines the angle of
refraction.

13. Index of Refraction
n=c/v
● n is the index of refraction
● c is the speed of light in a vacuum.
● v is the speed of light in a medium.

14. Index of Refraction
● Every substance has a different indices of
refraction.

15. Index of Refraction
● The speed of light and the index of
refraction are inverses.
● You can use this to find Snell’s Law.
● Wavelength affects the index of
refraction.

16. Examples
● A pencil in a cup
● A marching band going from concrete
to a field.
● Eyeglasses
● Prisms

17. Questions
1.What is refraction?
2. What is more dense air or glass?
3. How do you see an object when it is
in water?
4. What does Snell’s Law do?
5. What affects the index of refraction?

18. Bibliography
Nave, C. R. (n.d.). Refraction of Light.
Refraction of Light. Retrieved October 17,
2013, from http://hyperphysics.phyastr.gsu.edu/hbase/geoopt/refr.html
Davis, D. (n.d.). Refraction. Reflection and
Refraction. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from
http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfadd/3050/Ch16R
%26R/RefR.html

19. Bibliography
Serway, R. A., & Faughn, J. S. (2009).
Refraction. Holt Physics (pp. 488-492).
Austin: Holt, Rinehart, Winston.
Changing the Speed of Light. (n.d.). Optics For
Kids. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from
http://www.optics4kids.org/home/teacherspar
ents/articles/the-refraction-of-light/