Question

When light travels from one medium to another with a different index of refraction, how is the light's frequency and wavelength affected

Answer 1

Answer:

The frequency does not change, but the wavelength does

Explanation:

Here are the options

A. When a light wave travels from a medium with a lower index of refraction to a medium with a higher index of refraction, the frequency changes and the wavelength does not.

B. The frequency does change, but the wavelength remains unchanged.

C. Both the frequency and wavelength change.

D. When a light wave travels from a medium with a lower index of refraction to a medium with a higher index of refraction, neither the wavelength nor the frequency changes.

E. The frequency does not change, but its wavelength does.

When light goes through one medium to the next, the frequency doesn't really change seeing as frequency is dependent on wavelength and light wave velocity. And when the wavelength shifts from one medium to the next.

$n= \frac{C}{V} \ and\ \frac{\lambda_o}{\lambda_m}$

where $\lambda_o$ indicates wavelength in vacuum

$\lambda_m$ indicates wavelength in medium

n indicates refractive index

v indicates velocity of light wave

c indicates velocity of light

And wavelength is medium-dependent. Frequency Here = v$\lambda$ and shift in wavelength and velocity, not shifts in overall frequency.

Therefore the correct option is E