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  • Refraction of Light: Bending Towards the Normal - Physics Explained
    You're close, but not quite there! Here's the breakdown of how light refracts when moving from a less dense medium into a denser one:

    The Correct Statement

    When a light ray moves from a less dense medium into a denser medium, it bends towards the normal.

    Why?

    * Speed of light: Light travels slower in denser mediums. Imagine light as a car driving on a road. When the car hits a patch of mud (denser medium), it slows down.

    * Angle of incidence and refraction: The angle at which the light ray hits the surface (angle of incidence) is different from the angle at which it enters the denser medium (angle of refraction).

    * The normal: The normal is an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point where the light ray hits.

    * Bending towards the normal: Because the light slows down in the denser medium, it bends towards the normal.

    Think of it this way:

    Imagine a car driving on a smooth road (less dense medium) that suddenly hits a patch of mud (denser medium). The car will slow down and turn slightly towards the direction the mud patch is located. The "mud patch" is analogous to the denser medium, and the "turning" is analogous to the bending of the light ray towards the normal.

    Let me know if you have any other questions!

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