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Refraction of Light

• Refraction: Bending or change in the direction of light as it passes from one medium to another
• Refraction of light occurs because of change in the speed of light due to a change in the medium.
• When light enters an optically denser medium from an optically rarer medium, the speed of light slows down and light bends towards the normal.
• The opposite happens when light enters an optically rarer medium from an optically denser medium.
• Effect on various characteristics of light on reflection and refraction:

 Characteristics Partially reflected light Partially refracted light Rarer to denser Denser to rarer Speed of light No change Decreases Increases Frequency of light (f) No change No change No change Wavelength of light ($\lambda =\frac{v}{f}$) No change Decreases Increases

Refraction of light through a rectangular glass slab

Key points of refraction

• When a light ray enters from air (rarer medium) to glass (denser medium), it bends towards the normal.
• When …

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