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Index of refraction values (n) are numerical index values that are expressed relative to the speed of light in a vacuum. The index of refraction value can tell you the optical density of the material. It is a numerical value which indicates the number of times that a light wave would be in that material rather than in a vacuum. The index of refraction is defined as the speed of light in vacuum divided by the speed of light in the medium.
n = c/v
The index of refraction can be calculated by using the angle that light bends when traveling from one liquid to another liquid. Snell's law gives the relation between the angles θ1 and θ2:
n1 / n2 = sin θ2 / sin θ1
The paper and procedure we used can be found on page 2 of this pdf.
The indices of refraction of all the liquids are given by the slope on each graph.
| angle of refraction (°) | Angle of incidence (°) | sin of angle of refraction | Sin of angle of incidence (°) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 9 | 0.0871557427477 | 0.15643446504 |
| 10 | 17 | 0.173648177667 | 0.292371704723 |
| 15 | 23 | 0.258819045103 | 0.390731128489 |
| 20 | 31 | 0.342020143326 | 0.51503807491 |
| 25 | 39 | 0.422618261741 | 0.62932039105 |
| 30 | 49 | 0.500000000000 | 0.754709580223 |
| 35 | 55 | 0.573576436351 | 0.819152044289 |
| 40 | 66 | 0.642787609687 | 0.913545457643 |
| angle of refraction (°) | angle of incidence (°) | sin(angle of refraction) | sin(angle of incidence) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 8 | 0.0871557427477 | 0.13917310096 |
| 10 | 14 | 0.173648177667 | 0.2419218956 |
| 15 | 22 | 0.258819045103 | 0.374606593416 |
| 20 | 28 | 0.342020143326 | 0.469471562786 |
| 25 | 36 | 0.422618261741 | 0.587785252292 |
| 30 | 42 | 0.500000000000 | 0.669130606359 |
| 35 | 51 | 0.573576436351 | 0.777145961457 |
| 40 | 60 | 0.642787609687 | 0.866025403784 |
| 45 | 69 | 0.707106781187 | 0.933580426497 |
| angle of refraction (°) | angle of incidence (°) | sin of angle of refraction | sine of angle of incidence (°) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 7 | 0.0871557427477 | 0.121869343405 |
| 10 | 15 | 0.173648177667 | 0.258819045103 |
| 15 | 22 | 0.258819045103 | 0.374606593416 |
| 20 | 29 | 0.342020143326 | 0.484809620246 |
| 25 | 37 | 0.422618261741 | 0.601815023152 |
| 30 | 44 | 0.500000000000 | 0.694658370459 |
| 35 | 54 | 0.573576436351 | 0.809016994375 |
| 40 | 63 | 0.642787609687 | 0.891006524188 |
| angle of refraction (°) | angle of incidence (°) | sin(angle of refraction) | sin(angle of incidence) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 9 | 0.0871557427477 | 0.15643446504 |
| 10 | 15 | 0.173648177667 | 0.258819045103 |
| 15 | 19 | 0.258819045103 | 0.325568154457 |
| 20 | 29 | 0.342020143326 | 0.484809620246 |
| 25 | 36 | 0.422618261741 | 0.587785252292 |
| 30 | 43 | 0.500000000000 | 0.681998360062 |
| 35 | 53 | 0.573576436351 | 0.798635510047 |
| 40 | 63 | 0.642787609687 | 0.891006524188 |
| 45 | 72 | 0.707106781187 | 0.951056516295 |
| angle of refraction (°) | angle of incidence (°) | sin of angle of refraction | sin of angle of incidence (°) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 8 | 0.0871557427477 | 0.13917310096 |
| 10 | 15 | 0.173648177667 | 0.258819045103 |
| 15 | 22 | 0.258819045103 | 0.374606593416 |
| 20 | 30 | 0.342020143326 | 0.500000000000 |
| 25 | 37 | 0.422618261741 | 0.601815023152 |
| 30 | 43 | 0.500000000000 | 0.681998360062 |
| 35 | 51 | 0.573576436351 | 0.777145961457 |
| 40 | 61 | 0.642787609687 | 0.874619707139 |
| 45 | 70 | 0.707106781187 | 0.939692620786 |
| 50 | 80 | 0.766044443119 | 0.984807753012 |
Kristina Arthurs, Nadia Christopher, Monique Anthony, Whitney Daniel -- 2005
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