angle of refraction DOES depend on wavelength of light, right?

[thebillsfan]

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isn't this the definition of dispersion? or are we supposed to assume on the mcat that it doesnt depend on the wavelength of light unless we are specifically told it does?

 

[inaccensa]

isn't this the definition of dispersion? or are we supposed to assume on the mcat that it doesnt depend on the wavelength of light unless we are specifically told it does?

i always think of this in terms of velocity and therefore change in wavelength. If light travels from air to water (low n=1 to high n =1.3) the velocity must decrease (n=c/v) It must decrease since u cannot increase v beyond 3*10^8m/s. Now if the v is decreasing the frequency is constant, the wavlength must also decrease. Thus wavelength with shorter wavelength and thus higher frequency bend more. You can verify that by snell's law. Everything is interdependent on each other. I guess that was your question, I'm not sure if i explained that too well

 

[inaccensa]

isn't this the definition of dispersion? or are we supposed to assume on the mcat that it doesnt depend on the wavelength of light unless we are specifically told it does?

The following is a verbatim from EK. So yes, dispersion and wavelength are related.

"All types of waves refract. The index of refraction for any substance varies slightly with frequency. Longer wavelengths (lower frequencies) move faster through a medium than shorter wavelengths (higher frequencies), and therefore bend less dramatically at the media interface. As a result, white light, which is made up of all the frequencies in the visible spectrum, is split by a prism in a phenomenon known as chromatic dispersion.'

 

[thebillsfan]

The following is a verbatim from EK. So yes, dispersion and wavelength are related.

"All types of waves refract. The index of refraction for any substance varies slightly with frequency. Longer wavelengths (lower frequencies) move faster through a medium than shorter wavelengths (higher frequencies), and therefore bend less dramatically at the media interface. As a result, white light, which is made up of all the frequencies in the visible spectrum, is split by a prism in a phenomenon known as chromatic dispersion.'

right...so it would be ridiculous for me to assume that index of refraction does not depend on wavelength...im just wondering if its one of those things like (assume no friction unless indicated)

 

[RogueUnicorn]

right...so it would be ridiculous for me to assume that index of refraction does not depend on wavelength...im just wondering if its one of those things like (assume no friction unless indicated)

the index of refraction shifts velocity, which will in fact shift wavelength as frequency does not change. that is to say, it is actually the wavelength that depends on the index of refraction. this perhaps is the reason for your confusion.