Physicochemical Properties of Drug Molecules Quiz

Behavior of Monochromatic Light in Different Mediums

• Monochromatic light slows down and bends toward the normal when entering a denser medium from a less dense medium due to change in speed.
• In a denser medium, the speed of light decreases, leading to a shortening of the wavelength, while the frequency remains constant.

Refractive Index

• The refractive index (n) is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum (c) to the speed of light in a specific medium (v): ( n = \frac{c}{v} ).
• A higher refractive index indicates a greater degree of bending of light as it passes into the medium.

Effects of Light Moving Between Media

• When light transitions from a denser medium to a less dense medium, it speeds up and bends away from the normal.
• Refraction is the cause of bending, influenced by the difference in light speed in the respective mediums.

Factors Influencing Speed and Wavelength in Densely Packed Mediums

• The decrease in speed and wavelength of light in a denser medium is due to interactions with the medium's particles, which absorb and re-emit photons, thus slowing their overall speed.
• The inertia and density of particles in the medium can impede light propagation.

Relationship Between Speed of Light and Refractive Index

• As refractive index increases, the speed of light in that medium decreases; conversely, a lower refractive index corresponds to a higher speed of light in the medium.
• The refractive index is a dimensionless number indicating how much light slows down compared to its speed in a vacuum.