Question

Laser light enters a container of benzene at angle of 43o to the normal line; the refracted laser light makes an angle of 27o with the normal line. Find the index of refraction of benzene. The index of refraction of air is 1.00.

Answer 1

Answer:

1.502

Explanation:

Using the snell's law refraction to solve this problem;

According to the law, the ratio of the sine of incidence to the sine of refraction is a constant for any given pair of medium. Mathematically;

$n = \frac{sin(i)}{sin(r)}$

n is the refractive index of benzene

i is the angle of incidence = 43°

r is the angle of refraction = 27°

Get the index of refraction of benzene;

$n = \frac{sin 43^0}{sin 27^0} \\\\n = \frac{0.6819}{0.4539} \\\\n = 1.502$

Hence the index of refraction of benzene is 1.502