What is the refractive index of light?
GeneralClass 12AllAnswered 27 Mar 2026
Answer
This is a bit of a misnomer light itself doesn't have a refractive index. Rather, materials have refractive indices that describe how they affect light passing through them. The refractive index is a property of the medium, not the light. However, the refractive index of vacuum (empty space) is defined as exactly 1.000, and air is approximately 1.0003, so close to 1 that it's often treated as 1 in calculations.
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