If the refractive index of a medium is greater than 1, how does it affect the speed of light in that medium?

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Q: If the refractive index of a medium is greater than 1, how does it affect the speed of light in that medium?

Solution: The speed of light in a medium is given by v = c/n, where n is the refractive index. If n > 1, the speed decreases.

Steps: 5

Step 1: Understand that light travels at a certain speed in a vacuum, which is called 'c'. This speed is approximately 299,792 kilometers per second.
Step 2: Know that when light enters a medium (like water or glass), its speed changes depending on the medium's properties.
Step 3: The refractive index (n) of a medium tells us how much the speed of light decreases when it enters that medium. If n is greater than 1, it means the medium slows down the light.
Step 4: The formula to find the speed of light in a medium is v = c/n, where 'v' is the speed of light in the medium, 'c' is the speed of light in a vacuum, and 'n' is the refractive index.
Step 5: If n is greater than 1, when you divide 'c' by 'n', the result (v) will be less than 'c'. This means the speed of light in that medium is slower than in a vacuum.