In: Physics
Rotate the stage slightly such that the incident angle is just below the critical angle. Which color appears first. Why is this? How does the index of refraction depend on the wavelength of light?
When the incident angle is just below the critical angle total internal reflection will not occur. Some of light rays will refract and some of them will reflect back. And the Red colour will appear first because of less deviation of red light. the red colour has larger wavelength so the deviation is less. So it will appear first.
Now, the refractive index depends on wavelength of the light.The refractive index of the medium is just the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to the speed in that medium. The speed is simply the product of the frequency of the light and the wavelength. Since frequency doesn't change in any medium for a specific light wave, with change in wavelength the speed of light changes. This change in the speed of light causes it to bend, which is simply referred as refraction. Higher the change in wavelength higher will be refraction. Hence the refractive index of the medium is directly dependent on the wavelength.
Thank you?