What is Refractive Index and How Does it Relate to Snell's Law?
GeneralClass 12AllAnswered 27 Mar 2026
Answer
The refractive index (n) is a measure of how much a material slows down light compared to its speed in a vacuum. It's calculated as n = c/v, where c is the speed of light in vacuum and v is the speed in the medium. The refractive index is central to Snell's Law because it determines how much light will bend at an interface. Materials with higher refractive indices (like glass or water) bend light more than materials with lower refractive indices (like air).
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