Answer:
The diagram shows refraction, and medium 1 is less dense than medium 2.
Explanation:
- Reflection occurs when a light ray hits a surface and bounces back into the same medium
- Refraction occurs when a light ray crosses the interface between two different mediums, changing direction
From the diagram, we clearly see that this is a case of refraction, since the light ray crosses the boundary between two mediums.
The direction of a light ray in refraction is given by Snell's Law:
[tex]n_1 sin \theta_1 = n_2 sin \theta_2[/tex] (1)
where
n1 and n2 are the index of refraction of the two mediums: a higher index of refraction means a higher density for the medium
[tex]\theta_1, \theta_2[/tex] are the angles of the light ray in medium 1 and medium 2, measured with respect to the normal to the interface
We can rewrite eq. (1) as
[tex]\frac{n_1}{n_2}=\frac{sin \theta_2}{sin \theta_1}[/tex]
From the diagram, we see that
[tex]\theta_1 > \theta_2[/tex]
so
[tex]sin \theta_1 > sin \theta_2[/tex]
and so
[tex]\frac{sin \theta_2}{sin \theta_1}<1[/tex]
which means
[tex]\frac{n_1}{n_2}<1\\n_1 < n_2[/tex]
so, medium 2 is denser than medium 1, and the correct answer is
The diagram shows refraction, and medium 1 is less dense than medium 2.
