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In what substance is the speed of light 2.290×10^8m/s ?

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The substance in which the speed of light is 2.290×108m/s likely has an index of refraction of approximately 1.31. This value is consistent with the index of refraction for ice, indicating that ice may be the substance in question.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks in what substance the speed of light is 2.290×108m/s. Given that the speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 3.00×108m/s, one can determine the substance by using the index of refraction formula, n = c/v, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum and v is the speed of light in the material. Because the index of refraction varies for different materials due to the way light interacts with atoms, crystal lattices, and other substructures within the material, identifying the material with a specific speed of light involves calculating its index of refraction.

To find the index of refraction for this substance, we can rearrange the index of refraction formula to solve for n: n = c/v = (3.00×108m/s) / (2.290×108m/s) ≈ 1.31. Thus, we are looking for a substance with an index of refraction of approximately 1.31. One such substance is ice, which typically has an index of refraction around this value. It should be noted that actual values may vary slightly due to purity, temperature, and the specific crystalline structure of the ice.

User Shlomi Agiv
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