physics - Why does light refract toward from the normal when going from air to water and not away from the normal?

Why does light refract toward from the normal when going from air to water and not away from the normal?

3 viewed last edited 10 months ago

physics light refraction

Anonymous

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I don't know how to explain things moving away or toward the normal. I only know that they do move away or toward the normal. Can someone please help?

Ibhanan Kulkarni (last edited 10 months ago) (Student, 12^th Grade)

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You can analyze this by using the equation n=c/v. N is the index of refraction, c i the speed of light, and v is the velocity of light (that is going from itself to the other medium) in the substance that it goes through and then refracts. If you go from a small refractive index to a larger refractive index, then light refracts toward the normal. If you go from a large refractive index to a smaller refractive index, then the light refracts away from the normal.