Question

The index of refraction of a certain material is 1.25. If I send red light (700 nm) through the material, what will the frequency of the light be in the material

Answer 1

f1 / f2 = n2 / n1

Step-by-step explanation:

To solve this problem, we should remember that the formula for index of refraction is defined as:

n = c / v

or

n v = c

Where,

n = index of refraction

c = speed of light

v = speed of light in the medium

Since speed of light is constant, then we can simply equate the materials 1 and 2:

n1 v1 = n2 v2

Where the speed of light in the medium (v) can be expressed as:

v = w * f

Where,

w = wavelength of light

f = frequency of light

Therefore substituting this back into the relating equation:

n1 w1 f1 = n1 w2 f1

Since it is given that the light is monochromatic, w1 = w2, this further simplifies the equation to:

n1 f1 = n2 f2

f1 / f2 = n2 / n1 (ANSWER)