Index of Refraction

The index of refraction is a description of

the speed of light in a material.

 

c is the speed of light in vacuum.

v is the speed of light in a material.

n is the index of refraction for that material.

 

n = c/v

 

Typical values for the index of refraction:

n(air) 1.00

n(ice) = 1.30

n(H₂O) = 1.33

n(glass) 1.6

Reflection			Snell's Law
Return to Ch 23, Reflection and Refraction of Light

(c) Doug Davis, 2002; all rights reserved