Refractive index
Definition
The refractive index is a measure of how much light bends when it passes from one medium to another. It indicates the speed at which light travels in a particular medium.
Analogy
Imagine you are driving on a road and suddenly enter a different type of terrain, like going from asphalt to gravel. The refractive index is like the change in your driving speed as you transition between these two terrains.
Related terms
Snell's Law: This law describes how light bends when it passes through different mediums based on their refractive indices.
Total Internal Reflection: This phenomenon occurs when light traveling in a denser medium tries to pass into a less dense medium but gets completely reflected back instead.
Critical Angle: The critical angle is the minimum angle of incidence at which total internal reflection occurs.
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