- The diagram illustrates the refraction of light as it passes through three different media with refractive indices n₁, n₂, and n₃.
- Snell's Law governs the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction at each interface: n₁ sin(θ₁) = n₂ sin(θ₂) and n₂ sin(θ₂) = n₃ sin(θ₃).
- Combining these equations gives n₁ sin(θ₁) = n₃ sin(θ₃), indicating that the product of the refractive index and the sine of the angle is constant across all interfaces for a given ray.
- The direction of bending depends on the relative refractive indices: if n₂ > n₁, the ray bends toward the normal at the first interface; if n₃ < n₂, it bends away from the normal at the second interface.
- The final emergent ray in medium n₃ is parallel to the initial incident ray in medium n₁ only if n₁ = n₃, regardless of the intermediate medium n₂.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of snells law worksheet.
