Question

If the light is incident on an optically denser medium, then what is the relationship between the angle of incidence, I, and the angle of refraction, r?

(a) r > i

(b) i > r

(c) i = r

(d) r = 0

I got this question in an online interview.

This is a very interesting question from Velocity of Light in section Optics of Engineering Physics II

Answer 1

Correct choice is (b) i > r

The explanation is: If the light is incident on an optically denser medium, then the speed of light will be lower in that medium. Hence, the refracted ray would be bent towards the normal. Thus, the angle of refraction would be less than the angle of incidence.