(i) How does the refractive index of a medium depend on the (a) wavelength of light used and (b) temperature of the medium?

(ii) In an experiment of finding the refractive index of glass, if blue light is replaced by the red light, how will the refractive index of the glass change? Give reason in support of your answer.

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Solution

(i) (a) Refractive index of a medium decreases with an increase in wavelength of light. Refractive index of a medium for violet light which has the least wavelength is greater than that for red light which has the greatest wavelength.
(b) Refractive index decreases with the increase in temperature of the medium. The speed of light in that medium increases with increase in temperature. Hence, the refractive index = [velocity of light in vacuum / velocity of light in medium] decreases.

(ii) In glass, the speed of red light is more than that of blue light. The refractive index is c / v. Therefore the refractive index of glass for red light will decrease as compared to blue light.

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