Question

A light wave traveling through medium 1 strikes a boundary with medium 2 at a 45° angle. The light then enters the second medium and refracts toward the boundary. What could the two mediums be?A. Medium 1: glassMedium 2: diamondB. Medium 1: airMedium 2: glassC. Medium 1: waterMedium 2: airD. Medium 1: diamondMedium 2: air

Answer 1

Given:

Angle = 45 degrees

Given that the light wave strikes a boundary with medium 2 at an angle of 45 degrees.

Then the light enters the second medium and refracts toward the boundary.

Let's determine the two mediums.

Given that the the light travels through medium 1 and strikes the boundary with medium 2 at an angle, medium 1 can likely be said to be diamond.

This is likely to be diamond because light rays do not pass through them but are instead reflected back in different angles.

Also, as the light then enters the second medium and it refracts, we can say the second medium is air.

This is because light rays refract in air.

Therefore, the two mediums could possibly be diamond and air.

ANSWER:

D. Medium 1: Diamond

Medium 2: air