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Question

When light undergoes refraction at the surface of separation of two media, what happens to its wavelength?


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Solution

  1. The speed of light in a medium(v) is a product of the frequency(f) and wavelength of light(λ).
  2. Mathematically it is given as
  3. v=f×λ...(1)
  4. Now the speed of light depends upon the refractive index(n) of the medium with the relation v=cn...(2), where c is the speed of light.
  5. By equating equation (1)and (2), we get

f×λ=cnλ=cn×f

The frequency of light does not change when light undergoes refraction, i.e. fis constant.

Therefore, λα1n

For the optically denser medium, the value of nis high and for an optically rarer medium nis less.

Hence, the wavelength decreases when light enters a denser medium, and the wavelength increases when light enters a rarer medium.


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