Final answer:
When a light ray passes between two different media, such as air and glass or air and water, it bends due to refraction. The specific direction and amount of bending depend on the materials’ refractive indices. The two media mentioned are examples that commonly affect the path of light rays.
Step-by-step explanation:
The path of light is commonly represented by a model known as a light ray, and when a light ray travels from one point to another, it often passes through different media. This occurs, for example, when light passes from air into water or glass, changing direction in a process known as refraction.
Properties of Light in Different Media
As a light ray moves from one medium to another, it bends at the interface or boundary between those media. For instance, when a light ray passes from air (a medium with a lower index of refraction) to glass (a medium with a higher index of refraction), the direction of the light ray moves closer to the perpendicular to the surface. Conversely, when moving from glass to air, the light ray diverges away from the perpendicular. This is illustrated in figures that show light's behavior in the transition between media with different optical densities.
Refraction is an essential factor in geometric optics since it explains why lenses and prisms are able to form images. The degree of bending of the light ray depends directly on the relative index of refraction values between the two media according to Snell's Law. Although a ray of light appears to be displaced when passing through the second medium, its final direction remains consistent as if the ray had traveled directly from the first to the third medium without the intermediary material.
In summary, the two media that the light ray can pass through can vary, commonly being air and water, or air and glass, with the specific behavior of the ray depending on the refractive indices of the media it traverses.