A light ray strikes a glass slab at an angle of incidence of 45 degrees. If the

A light ray strikes a glass slab at an angle of incidence of 45 degrees. If the refractive index of glass is 1.5, what is the angle of refraction?

A light ray strikes a glass slab at an angle of incidence of 45 degrees. If the refractive index of glass is 1.5, what is the angle of refraction?

Correct Answer: 28 degrees

Step 1: Identify the angle of incidence (i), which is given as 45 degrees.
Step 2: Identify the refractive index of air (n1), which is approximately 1.0.
Step 3: Identify the refractive index of glass (n2), which is given as 1.5.
Step 4: Write down Snell's law formula: n1 * sin(i) = n2 * sin(r).
Step 5: Substitute the known values into the formula: 1.0 * sin(45 degrees) = 1.5 * sin(r).
Step 6: Calculate sin(45 degrees), which is approximately 0.707.
Step 7: Substitute this value into the equation: 1.0 * 0.707 = 1.5 * sin(r).
Step 8: Rearrange the equation to solve for sin(r): sin(r) = 0.707 / 1.5.
Step 9: Calculate the value of sin(r), which is approximately 0.471.
Step 10: Use the inverse sine function to find angle r: r ≈ arcsin(0.471).
Step 11: Calculate the angle r, which is approximately 28 degrees.

Refraction and Snell's Law – Understanding how light bends when it passes from one medium to another, governed by the refractive indices of the two media.
Trigonometric Functions – Applying sine functions to calculate angles based on the relationship defined by Snell's law.