Question

A light wave traveling through an unknown medium strikes the boundary with

water at a 45° angle and then refracts toward the boundary. What could the

Answer 1

If light refracts toward the normal when passing from water to an unknown medium, it indicates that the unknown medium has a higher index of refraction than water.

Step-by-step explanation:

When light waves travel through water and encounter a boundary with another medium at a non-normal angle, they undergo refraction. If the medium has an index of refraction higher than that of water, the light waves slow down, bending toward the normal due to the change in speed. According to Snell's law, the path of light is dependent on the indices of refraction of the two media and the angle of incidence. In this case, if the angle of refraction is closer to the normal compared to the angle of incidence, it indicates that the unknown medium has a higher index of refraction than water.