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The refractive index of a material is 2.4 - Leaving Cert Physics - Question (e) - 2018

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Question (e)

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The refractive index of a material is 2.4. Calculate the speed of light in this material.

Worked Solution & Example Answer:The refractive index of a material is 2.4 - Leaving Cert Physics - Question (e) - 2018

Step 1

Using the Formula for Refractive Index

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Answer

The refractive index ( n ) is defined by the equation:

n=cvn = \frac{c}{v}

where:

c is the speed of light in vacuum (approximately 3 \times 10^8 m/s)

v is the speed of light in the material.

Step 2

Substituting Known Values

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Answer

Given that the refractive index is 2.4 , we can substitute into the formula:

2.4=3×108v2.4 = \frac{3 \times 10^8}{v}

Step 3

Solving for the Speed of Light in the Material

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Answer

To find v , we rearrange the equation:

v=3×1082.4v = \frac{3 \times 10^8}{2.4}

Calculating this gives:

v=1.25×108m/sv = 1.25 \times 10^8 \, \text{m/s}

Thus, the speed of light in the material is approximately 1.25 \times 10^8 m/s.

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