Question

1. which best describes a material with a low index of refraction (near 1)? (1 point)

the speed of light stays constant.

it causes light to refract significantly.

light is mostly reflected at a value near 1.

it causes light to slow and refract very little.

Explanation:

The refractive index \(n=\frac{c}{v}\), where \(c\) is the speed of light in vacuum and \(v\) is the speed of light in the medium. When \(n\approx1\), \(v\approx c\), so the speed of light slows down very little. Also, from Snell's law \(n_1\sin\theta_1 = n_2\sin\theta_2\), a small difference in \(n\) (when \(n\) is near 1 compared to another medium) leads to a small change in the angle of refraction.

Answer:

It causes light to slow and refract very little.