Question

When light is refracted into a medium, ______________ .

पर्याय

• its wavelength and frequency increase

• its wavelength increases but frequency remains unchanged

• its wavelength decreases but frequency remains unchanged

• its wavelength and frequency decrease

Answer 1

its wavelength decreases but frequency remains unchanged

 

Frequency of a light wave, as it travels from one medium to another, always remains unchanged, while wavelength decreases.

Decrease in the wavelength of light entering a medium of refractive index \[\mu\] is given by

\[\lambda_M  = \frac{\lambda}{\mu}, \]

\[\text{where }\lambda_M  = \text{wavelength in medium}\]

\[\lambda = \text{wavelength in vacuum}\]

\[\mu = \text{refractive index}\]