9 Questions
What is the speed of light in a vacuum?
299,792,458 meters per second
Which scientist first measured the speed of light?
Ole Rømer
What is the phenomenon where light waves change speed and direction as they pass from one medium to another?
Refraction
What is the phenomenon where light waves bend as they pass from one medium to another?
Refraction
In which medium does light travel fastest?
Vacuum
What property of a material determines how much light is refracted when it enters the material?
Refractive index
What is the term for the bending of light waves around obstacles in their path?
Diffraction
Which property of a material determines how much light is absorbed by the material?
Opacity
What happens to the speed of light when it enters a medium with a higher refractive index?
It decreases
Study Notes
Light and Media
- The speed of light in a vacuum is a fundamental constant of the universe.
- Danish scientist Ole Rømer was the first to measure the speed of light in 1676.
Refraction
- Refraction is the phenomenon where light waves change speed and direction as they pass from one medium to another.
- The phenomenon where light waves bend as they pass from one medium to another is also known as refraction.
Light Speed in Media
- Light travels fastest in a vacuum.
- The speed of light is affected by the refractive index of a medium.
Refractive Index
- The refractive index of a material determines how much light is refracted when it enters the material.
Diffraction
- Diffraction is the term for the bending of light waves around obstacles in their path.
Absorption
- The property of a material that determines how much light is absorbed by the material is its absorbance.
Light Speed in Media (continued)
- When light enters a medium with a higher refractive index, its speed decreases.
Test your knowledge about the nature of light with these multiple-choice questions. Explore topics such as the speed of light in a vacuum, the scientist who first measured it, and the phenomenon of light waves changing speed and direction when passing through different mediums.
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