Understanding the Behavior of Light in Different Mediums
What happens to the frequency and wavelength of light when it enters a different medium?
When a beam of light enters a different medium, such as a piece of glass, what happens to its frequency and wavelength?
A. Increases by a factor of 1.50 ; decreases by a factor of 1.50
B. Is unchanged ; is unchanged
C. Decreases by a factor of 1.50 ; is unchanged
D. Is unchanged ; decreases by a factor of 1.50
E. Is unchanged ; increases by a factor of 1.50
Answer:
When a beam of light enters a different medium, such as a piece of glass, its frequency remains unchanged. This means that option B, "is unchanged; is unchanged," is the correct answer.
However, the wavelength of the light does change when it enters a different medium. The speed of light is different in different mediums due to their refractive indices. In this case, the light is going from air (with a refractive index of approximately 1.00) to glass (with a refractive index of 1.50). The speed of light decreases in the glass compared to air.
According to the equation v = fλ, where v is the speed of light, f is the frequency, and λ is the wavelength, if the speed decreases, the wavelength must also decrease to maintain the same frequency. Therefore, the correct answer is that the frequency remains unchanged, while the wavelength decreases when the beam of light enters the glass.