Refractive indices of glass, water, and carbon disulfide are 1.5. 1.33 and 1.62 respectively. If a ray of light is incident in these media at the same angle (say @), then write the increasing order of the angle of refraction in these media.

Question :Refractive indices of glass, water, and carbon disulfide are 1.5. 1.33 and 1.62 respectively. If a ray of light is incident in these media at the same angle (say @), then write the increasing order of the angle of refraction in these media.

The correct answer is -The angle of refraction depends on the refractive index of the medium. The formula for the angle of refraction is given by Snell’s law:

n1sin(@1) = n2sin(@2)

where n1 and n2 are the refractive indices of the two media and @1 and @2 are the angles of incidence and refraction, respectively.

Given: Refractive index of glass (n1) = 1.5, refractive index of water (n2) = 1.33, and refractive index of carbon disulfide (n3) = 1.62

Let us assume that the angle of incidence is the same for all three media, i.e., @1 = @ for all media.

Then, the angle of refraction in each medium can be calculated as:

@2 = sin^(-1)[(n1/n2)sin(@)]

@3 = sin^(-1)[(n1/n3)sin(@)]

Using the given values, we get:

@2 = sin^(-1)[(1.5/1.33)sin(@)] = sin^(-1)(1.128sin(@)) = 47.1°

@3 = sin^(-1)[(1.5/1.62)sin(@)] = sin^(-1)(0.925sin(@)) = 38.1°

Therefore, the increasing order of the angle of refraction in these media is:

Water < Glass < Carbon disulfide