The Concept of Refraction: Exploring Snell's Law

What is Snell's Law and how does it relate to the exit angle of a second slab of glass?

According to Snell's Law, what would happen to the exit angle at the bottom surface of this second slab compared to the incident angle at the upper surface of the first slab?

Answer:

The exit angle of a second slab would not equal the incident angle on the first slab unless the two slabs have the same index of refraction, according to Snell's Law.

Snell's Law, also known as the law of refraction, describes the relationship between the angles of incidence and transmission when light travels from one medium to another. The law states that the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is equal to the ratio of the velocities of light in the two media, which is also equivalent to the ratio of the refractive indices of the two media.

When light enters a material with a different refractive index, such as passing from air into a slab of glass, the light is bent or refracted. The angle at which the light bends depends on the refractive indices of the two media and the angle of incidence. If a second slab of glass with a different index of refraction is placed below the first slab, the exit angle at the bottom surface of the second slab will not necessarily equal the incident angle at the upper surface of the first slab.

This discrepancy is due to the different refractive indices of the two slabs. Unless the two slabs have the same refractive index, the angles of incidence and refraction will not be equal. Therefore, the exit angle of the second slab will vary depending on the specific refractive indices of the materials involved.