The index of refraction for air is 1. If light passing through air hits an object with an index of refraction of 0.8 at an angle of 30 degrees, which of the following equations can be used to solve for the degree at which the light is refracted?
A)cos(x) = 0.875
B)sin(x) = 0.875
C)cos(x) = 0.625
D)sin(x) = 0.625
E)tan(x) = 0.750

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Snell's law, (sin ?1)/(sin?2) = n2/n1. Thus, sin(x) = sin(30)/0.8. Sin(30) is 0.5. Thus, sin(x) = 0.625, which is the equation that can be used to solve for the problem. If we solve for x we gain an answer of 31.8 degrees, rounded to 32.

The Index of Refraction for Air Is 1