A ray of light passes through four transparent medium with...

A ray of light passes through four transparent medium with refractive indices $\mu_{1,} \mu_{2}, \mu_{3}$ and $\mu_{4}$ as shown in the figure. The surfaces of all media are parallel. If the emergent ray $C D$ is parallel to the incident ray $A B$. We must have (a) $\mu_{1}=\mu_{2}$ (b) $\mu=\mu_{1}$ (c) $\mu_{3}=\mu_{4}$ (d) $\mu_{1}=\mu_{1}$

A ray of light passes through four transparent medium with refractive indices $\mu_{1,} \mu_{2}, \mu_{3}$ and $\mu_{4}$ as shown in the figure. The surfaces of all media are parallel. If the emergent ray $C D$ is parallel to the incident ray $A B$. We must have
(a) $\mu_{1}=\mu_{2}$
(b) $\mu=\mu_{1}$
(c) $\mu_{3}=\mu_{4}$
(d) $\mu_{1}=\mu_{1}$

Labs

Want to see this concept in action?

NEW

Explore this concept interactively to see how it behaves as you change inputs.

View Labs

Key Concepts

Refraction through Plane-Parallel Interfaces

When light travels through multiple layers with parallel interfaces, the refraction at each boundary may change the direction of the ray, but due to the symmetry of the parallel surfaces, the emergent ray remains parallel to the incident ray. This principle explains how, despite lateral displacements within the layered media, the overall direction of the light beam is preserved upon exit.

Snell's Law

Snell's Law governs the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another. It establishes that the product of the refractive index and the sine of the angle of incidence in one medium equals that in the second medium. This relation is fundamental for understanding how light is refracted at the interface between two different media.

Refractive Index

The refractive index is a measure of how much light slows down when entering a medium compared to its speed in vacuum. It plays a crucial role in determining the degree of bending as light passes through an interface, influencing the angles of incidence and refraction according to Snell's Law. Understanding refractive indices is essential for analyzing light propagation in different materials.

Please give Ace some feedback