Question

In a physics lab, light with a wavelength of 490 nm travels in air from a laser to a photocell in a time of 17.5 ns . When a slab of glass with a thickness of 0.800 m is placed in the light beam, with the beam incident along the normal to the parallel faces of the slab, it takes the light a time of 21.5 ns to travel from the laser to the photocell.What is the wavelength of the light in the glass? Use 3.00×108 m/s for the speed of light in a vacuum. Express your answer using two significant figures.

Answer 1

Answer:

196 nm

Explanation:

Given that

Value of wavelength, = 490 nm

Time spent in air, t(a) = 17.5 ns

Thickness of glass, th = 0.8 m

Time spent in glass, t(g) = 21.5 ns

Speed of light in a vacuum, c = 3*10^8 m/s

To start with, we find the difference between the two time spent

Time spent on glass - Time spent in air

21.5 - 17.5 = 4 ns

0.8/(c/n) - 0.8/c = 4 ns

Note, light travels with c/n speed in media that has index of refraction

(n - 1) * 0.8/c = 4 ns

n - 1 = (4 ns * c) / 0.8

n - 1 = (4*10^-9 * 3*10^8) / 0.8

n - 1 = 1.2/0.8

n - 1 = 1.5

n = 1.5 + 1

n = 2.5

As a result, the wavelength of light in a medium with index of refraction would then be

490 / 2.5 = 196 nm

Therefore, our answer is 196 nm