Question

A ray of light travelling from glass to air, strikes the surface of separation at an angle of x°, such that angle of refraction is y°. In such a case the ratio of sin x to the sin y is:

Options

• refractive index of glass with respect to air

• refractive index of air with respect to glass.

• either (a) or (b)

• neither (a) nor (b)

Answer 1

Refractive index of air with respect to glass.

Explanation:

By Snell’s law, the relative refractive index is the sine of the angle of incidence divided by the sine of the angle of refraction. Here, light travels from glass to air, so $$\dfrac{\sin x}{\sin y}$$ is the refractive index of air with respect to glass.