If the speed of light through material Z is
2.5 × 108 m/s, what is this material’s index of
refraction? The speed of light in a vacuum is
3 × 108 m/s.
To calculate the index of refraction (n) of material Z, we can use the formula:
n = c/v
where c is the speed of light in a vacuum and v is the speed of light in the material.
Given:
Speed of light in a vacuum (c) = 3 × 10^8 m/s
Speed of light through material Z (v) = 2.5 × 10^8 m/s
n = (3 × 10^8 m/s) / (2.5 × 10^8 m/s)
n = 1.2
Therefore, the index of refraction of material Z is 1.2.
To find the material's index of refraction, we can use the formula:
Index of Refraction = Speed of Light in Vacuum / Speed of Light in Material
Given that the speed of light in a vacuum is 3 × 10^8 m/s and the speed of light in material Z is 2.5 × 10^8 m/s, we can plug these values into the formula:
Index of Refraction = (3 × 10^8 m/s) / (2.5 × 10^8 m/s)
Now, divide these numbers:
Index of Refraction ≈ 1.2
Therefore, the material's index of refraction is approximately 1.2.