If the speed of light in a vacuum is 3 x 10^8 m/s, what is its speed in water (n
Practice Questions
Q1
If the speed of light in a vacuum is 3 x 10^8 m/s, what is its speed in water (n = 1.33)?
2.26 x 10^8 m/s
2.25 x 10^8 m/s
2.27 x 10^8 m/s
2.28 x 10^8 m/s
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
If the speed of light in a vacuum is 3 x 10^8 m/s, what is its speed in water (n = 1.33)?
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 when light travels through a medium like water, its speed changes based on the medium's refractive index (n).
Step 3: 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 4: In this case, the refractive index of water is given as n = 1.33.
Step 5: Substitute the values into the formula: v = (3 x 10^8 m/s) / 1.33.
Step 6: Perform the division: 3 x 10^8 m/s divided by 1.33 gives approximately 2.26 x 10^8 m/s.
Step 7: Conclude that the speed of light in water is approximately 2.26 x 10^8 m/s.
Speed of Light in Different Media – Understanding how the speed of light changes when it passes through different materials, using the refractive index.
