Difference between revisions of "Index of refraction"
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The '''index of refraction''' is a quantity that expresses the degree to which a medium [[refraction|refracts]] [[light]]. The index is given by <math>n=c/v_{phase}</math>, where ''c'' is the [[speed of light]] in a [[vacuum]] and <math>v_{phase}</math> is the [[phase velocity]] of light in the medium. For media that [[absorption|absorb]] as well as refract light, the index of refraction is expressed as a [[complex number]] whose imaginary component expresses the absorption. | The '''index of refraction''' is a quantity that expresses the degree to which a medium [[refraction|refracts]] [[light]]. The index is given by <math>n=c/v_{phase}</math>, where ''c'' is the [[speed of light]] in a [[vacuum]] and <math>v_{phase}</math> is the [[phase velocity]] of light in the medium. For media that [[absorption|absorb]] as well as refract light, the index of refraction is expressed as a [[complex number]] whose imaginary component expresses the absorption. | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Optics]] |
Latest revision as of 17:22, April 7, 2017
The index of refraction is a quantity that expresses the degree to which a medium refracts light. The index is given by <math>n=c/v_{phase}</math>, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum and <math>v_{phase}</math> is the phase velocity of light in the medium. For media that absorb as well as refract light, the index of refraction is expressed as a complex number whose imaginary component expresses the absorption.