Question

Refractive index of glass is $1.5$. What does it mean?

Answer 1

Hint:Here we will first know the definition of refractive index and then we will relate the refractive index of glass with that definition and try to conclude what is the meaning of any substance having refractive index greater than one.

Complete answer:
The refractive index is the ratio of the speed of light in a medium to the speed of light in a vacuum. As light passes through a medium other than vacuum, the atoms in that medium absorb and re-emit the light particles, slowing the speed of light. Let's talk about the refractive index of water and other mediums.

Refractive index is also known as a refraction index or refraction index. The properties of the medium influence the speed of light in it. The speed of electromagnetic waves is determined by the optical density of the medium. The propensity of atoms in a substance to recover absorbed electromagnetic energy is known as optical density. The slower the speed of light is, the more optically dense the material is. The refractive index is one such measure of a medium's optical density.

The refractive index of a medium in vacuum is called the absolute refractive index. Glass has a refractive index of 1.5. It means that the speed of light in glass is 1.5 times slower than in vacuum, and that the speed of light in glass is not independent of light colour. A violet component of white light has a refractive index that is higher than that of a red component.

Note:It is possible to have a refractive index less than one; that is possible when the speed of light in that medium is faster than the speed of light in vacuum. Gold and silver are some examples, the refractive index of gold is approximately 0.20 and that of silver is 0.135. one should know that refractive index is a unit less quantity as it is a ratio of speed in medium to speed in vacuum.