refraction EOY notes

Question 1

How do light change its direction and bend?

Answer 1

When a light ray travels from one optical medium to
another optical medium of different density, the light
ray changes its direction and bend.

Question 2

What is refraction?

Answer 2

Refraction is the bending of light as it passes
from one optical medium to another.

Light travels the fastest in vacuum.

It slows down in an optically denser medium
(e.g. glass, water).

Question 3

What happens when light passes from air to an optically denser medium?

Answer 3

When light passes from air into an optically denser medium,

it will bend towards the normal. (slower)

Question 4

What happens when light passes from an optically denser medium into air?

Answer 4

When light passes from an optically denser medium into air,

it will bend away from the normal. (faster)

Question 5

Why do we see fish closer to the surface than its actual position?

Answer 5

This is due to refraction. The depth, which is observed when
viewed from above, is called the apparent depth. It is less
than the actual depth.