Question

Two mediums '$a$‘ and ’$b$‘ have same refractive index. A ray of light travelling from medium ’$a$‘ to medium ’$b$' will suffer :

• A. refraction at the interfaces
• B. partly suffer reflection at the interfaces
• C. partly gets absorbed in medium '$b$'
• D. both (b) and (c)

Answer 1

The correct option is B

partly suffer reflection at the interfaces

Explanation for the correct option(s):

B: partly suffer reflection at the interfaces

1. The refractive index of the material in which the angle refraction is located is the ratio between the sine of the angle of incidence and the sine of the angle of refraction.
2. As the refractive index of the two mediums '$a$‘ and ’$b$‘are equal, the angles are also equal and they can be treated as one medium, so the ray of light will suffer reflection at the interfaces partly.

Explanation for the incorrect option(s):

A: refraction at the interfaces

Since the equal refractive index will treat the two mediums as one, refraction will not occur at the interfaces.

C: partly gets absorbed in medium '$b$'

This will not be possible as the refractive index of the two mediums '$a$‘ and ’$b$‘ are the same.

D: both (b) and (c)

Option (b) satisfies the given situation, but (c) does not.

Hence, if two mediums '$a$‘ and ’$b$‘ have the same refractive index, a ray of light travelling from medium ’$a$‘ to medium ’$b$' will partly suffer reflection at the interfaces.