Final answer:
The relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction is described by Snell's law, which involves the indices of refraction of the media and the angles at which the light ray enters and exits the media.
Step-by-step explanation:
This law states that the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is constant, and is equal to the ratio of the indices of refraction for the two media. Therefore, when a ray of light enters a new medium with a different refractive index, it changes direction; this phenomenon is known as refraction. The angle of incidence is the angle between the incident ray and the normal to the surface at the point of incidence, while the angle of refraction is the angle between the refracted ray and the normal. If a ray of light travels from a medium with a higher index of refraction to one with a lower index, it will bend away from the normal, meaning the angle of refraction will be greater than the angle of incidence. Conversely, if the light goes from a lower to a higher index of refraction, it will bend towards the normal, and the angle of incidence will be greater than the angle of refraction.