Final answer:
The speed of light in a material can be calculated using the formula v = c/n, where 'c' is the speed of light in a vacuum (approximately 3.00 × 10⁸ m/s), 'n' is the index of refraction, and 'v' is the speed of light in the material.
Step-by-step explanation:
The formula to find the speed of light in a given material is derived from the relationship between the index of refraction, n, and the speed of light in a vacuum, c. The index of refraction is defined by the equation n = c/v, where v is the speed of light in the material. When we rearrange this equation to solve for v, it becomes v = c/n. The speed of light, c, in a vacuum is approximately 3.00 × 10⁸ m/s. If we need to calculate the wavelength (λ) or frequency (ν) of light, we can use the formula c = λν, remembering that these values must be in compatible units such as meters for wavelength and Hertz for frequency.