Equations
Index of refraction
Optics · id refractive_index
n = \frac{c}{v}
| Symbol | Quantity | Unit | Meaning | Usual range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
n | refractive index | dimensionless | Ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to that in the medium | 1 to 4 |
c | speed of light constant | m/s | Speed of light in vacuum | |
v | speed of light in the medium | m/s | Speed of light inside the material | 7.5e+07 to 2.99792e+08 |
Assumptions
- Transparent, uniform medium
Valid when
- No extra conditions.
Found by
Questions with these words retrieve this equation: refractive index, index of refraction, speed of light, glass, water, diamond, medium.
Source
OpenStax University Physics Volume 3, Chapter 1 (reference; entry written by the project). License: MIT. Entry confidence: 0.99.