3.3.17

Refraction

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Refraction

As light travels through two different mediums such as air, glass and/or water it changes speed. This changes the direction that the ray travels in and is known as refraction.

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Changing speed

  • Light waves change speed as they pass through the boundary between different substances (or mediums) such as glass, air, and water.
  • These changes of speed cause a change of direction.
  • This is known as refraction.
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Light speed

  • Light travels at 300,000 km/s in air.
  • Light travels at 225,000 km/s in water.
  • Light travels at 200,000 km/s in glass.
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Refraction in the real world

  • You can see refraction if you put a straw in a glass of water, when you look at it, it sometimes appears to bend.
  • If you draw an arrow and place it behind a glass of water when you look through the water the arrow appears to change direction, this is an example of refraction at work.
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The angle of refraction

  • The angle of refraction is measured from the normal to the refracted ray.
  • When light enters either glass or water from air, the angle of refraction is less than that of the angle of incidence.

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