Question

The index of refraction, n, of a material is a measure of how the speed of light changes. What can be said about the speed of light in a material with n=1.5 compared to a material with n=1.7?

Answer 1

The speed of light is slower in a material with an index of refraction of 1.7 compared to a material with an index of 1.5, because a higher index of refraction means light travels more slowly in that medium.

Step-by-step explanation:

The index of refraction, n, indicates how much the speed of light is reduced in a material compared to its speed in a vacuum. For a material with an index of refraction of n=1.5, light travels slower than in a vacuum but faster than in a material with an index of n=1.7. The index of refraction is calculated using the equation n = c/v, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum and v is the speed of light in the material. Since c is a constant value, the larger the index of refraction (n), the slower the speed of light (v) in that material. Therefore, light travels slower in a material with an index of refraction of 1.7 compared to a material with an index of 1.5.