If the speed of light in vacuum is 3 x 10^8 m/s, what is its speed in glass (n =
Practice Questions
Q1
If the speed of light in vacuum is 3 x 10^8 m/s, what is its speed in glass (n = 1.5)?
2 x 10^8 m/s
2.5 x 10^8 m/s
3 x 10^8 m/s
1.5 x 10^8 m/s
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
If the speed of light in vacuum is 3 x 10^8 m/s, what is its speed in glass (n = 1.5)?
Step 1: Understand that the speed of light in a vacuum is 3 x 10^8 meters per second (m/s).
Step 2: Know that 'n' is the refractive index of the medium. For glass, n = 1.5.
Step 3: Use the formula for the speed of light in a medium: v = c/n, where v is the speed of light in the medium, c is the speed of light in vacuum, and n is the refractive index.
Step 4: Substitute the values into the formula: v = (3 x 10^8 m/s) / 1.5.
Step 5: Perform the division: 3 x 10^8 divided by 1.5 equals 2 x 10^8 m/s.
Step 6: Conclude that the speed of light in glass is 2 x 10^8 m/s.
Speed of Light in Different Media – Understanding how the speed of light changes when it passes through different materials, represented by the refractive index (n).
Refractive Index – The refractive index (n) is a dimensionless number that describes how fast light travels in a medium compared to vacuum.
