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Question
Refractive indices of four media A, B, C and D are given below:
| Medium | Refractive index |
| A | 1.33 |
| B | 1.44 |
| C | 1.52 |
| D | 1.65 |
In which of these four media is the speed of light (i) maximum, and (ii) minimum?
Solution
The refractive index of a medium is related to the speed of light as follows:
Refractive index =`"speed of light in vacuum "/"speed of light in a medium"`
Since the speed of light in vacuum is a constant, the refractive index becomes inversely proportional to the speed of light in a medium.
(1)The speed of light is maximum in a medium that has the lowest refractive index, ie., medium A
(2) The speed of light is minimum in a medium that has the highest refractive index, ie., medium D.
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