Final answer:
Refraction of light is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another. This occurs due to the change in speed of light and can be observed in phenomena like rainbows and the bending of objects when submerged in water.
Step-by-step explanation:
Refraction of light is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another, such as from air to water or from air to glass. This occurs because light travels at different speeds in different media, and when it enters a new medium at an angle, it changes direction. The angle at which the light bends depends on the refractive index of the media involved.
An example of refraction can be observed when a pencil is placed in a glass of water. The portion of the pencil that is submerged appears to bend or shift due to refraction. Another example is the phenomenon of a rainbow, which is caused by the refraction and reflection of sunlight through water droplets in the atmosphere.
Refraction has practical applications in various fields. In optics, lenses use refraction to converge or diverge light, allowing for the correction of vision problems or the magnification of objects. Refraction is also utilized in devices like prisms and fiber optic cables.
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