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

Question (e)

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
Using the Formula for Refractive Index

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The refractive index (
n
) is defined by the equation:
n=vc
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.
Substituting Known Values

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Given that the refractive index is
2.4
, we can substitute into the formula:
2.4=v3×108
Solving for the Speed of Light in the Material

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To find
v
, we rearrange the equation:
v=2.43×108
Calculating this gives:
v=1.25×108m/s
Thus, the speed of light in the material is approximately
1.25 \times 10^8
m/s.
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