- #1
garytse86
- 311
- 0
Light gets refracted when traveling from one medium to another, but why? Is it because the photons interact with the electrons?
Originally posted by Integral
A photon is adsorbed by an atom, this means an electron is elevated to an excited state. After a brief time the electron decays to a lower energy level, not necessarily where it started. It is this delay between adsorbtion and emission that reduces the apparent speed of light in a medium. The energy (wavelength) of light emitted determins the color or the material. A very good source for a understandable explanintion of the physics behind this is Richard Fynmans QED
Originally posted by Integral
A photon is adsorbed by an atom, this means an electron is elevated to an excited state. After a brief time the electron decays to a lower energy level, not necessarily where it started. It is this delay between adsorbtion and emission that reduces the apparent speed of light in a medium. The energy (wavelength) of light emitted determins the color or the material. A very good source for a understandable explanintion of the physics behind this is Richard Fynmans QED
Light gets refracted when traveling due to a change in the medium it is traveling through. When light enters a new medium with a different density, its speed changes, causing it to bend or refract.
The medium that light is traveling through is responsible for light refraction. This can include air, water, glass, and other transparent materials.
The angle of incidence, or the angle at which light enters a new medium, determines the degree of refraction. The greater the angle of incidence, the greater the angle of refraction.
Light bends towards the normal when entering a denser medium because the speed of light decreases in a denser medium, causing it to slow down and bend towards the normal line.
Yes, light can be refracted more than once as it travels through different mediums with varying densities. Each time it enters a new medium, it will undergo refraction again.