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A beam of light in air makes an angle of 52.5 �� with the surface (not the normal) of a glass plate having a refractive index of 1.76. What is the angle of refraction?

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Final answer:

The angle of refraction can be calculated using Snell's law. In this case, with an angle of incidence of 52.5° and a refractive index of 1.76, the angle of refraction is approximately 29.41°.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a beam of light passes from one medium to another, it changes direction. This change in direction is called refraction. The angle of refraction can be calculated using Snell's law, which states that the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is equal to the ratio of the speed of light in the first medium to the speed of light in the second medium.

In this case, the angle of incidence is 52.5° and the refractive index of the glass plate is 1.76. The refractive index is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in air to the speed of light in the glass. By rearranging Snell's law, we can calculate the angle of refraction:

Angle of refraction = arcsin(sin(angle of incidence) / refractive index)

Plugging in the values, we get:

Angle of refraction = arcsin(sin(52.5°) / 1.76)

Using a calculator, the angle of refraction is approximately 29.41°.

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