Refraction of Light and Refractive Index Quiz

What is the refractive index of a medium?

• The speed of light in air divided by the speed of light in the medium
• The speed of light in the medium divided by the speed of light in air
• The angle of incidence divided by the angle of refraction
• The wavelength of light in air divided by the wavelength in the medium

Which of the following statements about the refractive index is true?

• It has units of measurement
• It is always greater than 1
• It can be calculated using the sine of angles
• It depends only on the speed of light in air

When light travels from a denser medium to a rarer medium, what happens to its speed?

• It decreases
• It remains the same
• It increases
• It becomes zero

If the angle of incidence is greater than the angle of refraction, what can be inferred about the mediums involved?

• Light is moving from a rarer to a denser medium
• Light is moving from a denser to a rarer medium
• The mediums have the same density
• The light is not refracted

What effect does refraction have on the appearance of an object submerged in water?

• It appears lower than its actual position
• It appears higher than its actual position
• It appears unchanged
• It disappears completely

Why does a pencil appear broken when placed in water?

• Because of the change in color
• Due to the change in speed of light
• Because of the change in density
• Due to the change in wavelength

What happens to the wavelength of light when it moves from a rarer medium to a denser medium?

• It increases
• It decreases
• It remains the same
• It becomes infinite

Which of the following factors does NOT affect the refractive index of a medium?

• Density of the medium
• Color (frequency) of light
• Temperature of the medium
• Speed of light in air

If a coin is invisible in an empty cup, what happens when the cup is filled with water?

• The coin becomes visible
• The coin remains invisible
• The coin sinks
• The coin floats

What is the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of refraction when light travels from a rarer to a denser medium?

• Angle of incidence is less than angle of refraction
• Angle of incidence equals angle of refraction
• Angle of incidence is greater than angle of refraction
• There is no relationship