Which way does a light ray bend when it crosses the plane,smooth surface of a dense,transparent material (from air or a vacuum)at an angle to the perpendicular?
A) The light ray does not bend at all because the material is transparent.
B) The light ray bends toward the perpendicular.
C) The light ray always bends so that it travels perpendicular to the surface.
D) The light ray bends away from the perpendicular.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The light ray bends toward the perpendicular when it crosses the plane, smooth surface of a dense, transparent material at an angle to the perpendicular. This phenomenon is known as refraction. The amount of refraction depends on the refractive index of the material, which is a measure of how much the speed of light is reduced in the material compared to its speed in a vacuum.

Which Way Does a Light Ray Bend When It Crosses