1. Refraction: The ray of light bends away from the normal (the imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence).
2. Speed Increase: The speed of light increases as it enters the less dense medium. This is because light travels slower in denser materials due to interactions with the atoms and molecules in the medium.
3. Wavelength Increase: The wavelength of the light also increases as it enters the less dense medium. Since the frequency of light remains constant, the increased speed leads to a longer wavelength.
4. Possible Total Internal Reflection: If the angle of incidence is greater than a critical angle (specific to the two mediums), the light will not refract but will be reflected back into the denser medium. This is called total internal reflection.
Examples:
* Light traveling from water (denser) to air (less dense): The light bends away from the normal, making the straw in a glass of water appear bent at the surface.
* Light traveling from glass (denser) to air (less dense): This is the principle behind fiber optic cables, where light is repeatedly reflected inside the glass fiber, preventing signal loss.
Key Concept:
The amount of bending (refraction) depends on the difference in the refractive indices of the two media. The higher the difference, the greater the bending.
