The figure shows the path of a ray of light as it travels through air and crosses a boundary into water. The index of refraction of water for this light is 1.33. -What is the speed of this ray of light as it travels through the water? A)1.54 × 10⁸ m/s B)2.26 × 10⁸ m/s C)2.86 × 10⁸ m/s D)3.99 × 10⁸ m/s E)4.43 × 10⁹ m/s

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The speed of light in a vacuum is 299,792,458 m/s. The index of refraction of a substance relates the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in that substance (n=c/v). Using this formula, we can find the speed of light in water: v=c/n = 299,792,458 m/s / 1.33 = 2.26 × 10^8 m/s. Therefore, the best choice is B.

The Figure Shows the Path of a Ray of Light