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Light leaves a source at X and travels to Y along the path shown. Which of the f

ID: 2261219 • Letter: L

Question

Light leaves a source at X and travels to Y along the path shown. Which of the following statements is correct?
a. the index of refraction is the same for the two media.
b. Light travels faster in medium 2 than in medium 1.
c. Snell;s law breaks down at the interface.
d. light would arrive at Y in less time by taking a straight line path from X to Y than it does taking the path shown above.
e light leaving a source at Y and traveling to X would follow the same path shown above, but in reverse.



I need to know why options A-D are wrong with any equations that can support the statement. The answer is E.

Light leaves a source at X and travels to Y along the path shown. Which of the following statements is correct? the index of refraction is the same for the two media. Light travels faster in medium 2 than in medium 1. Snell's law breaks down at the interface. light would arrive at Y in less time by taking a straight line path from X to Y than it does taking the path shown above. light leaving a source at Y and traveling to X would follow the same path shown above, but in reverse. I need to know why options A-D are wrong with any equations that can support the statement. The answer is E.

Explanation / Answer

A) It is not the same if there is bending at the boundary; difference in speed causes refraction

B) Light travels faster in the medium with the larger angle of incidence (from the normal)

C) Snell's Law effect occurs due to the interface

D) The path taken requires the least time (Feynman has a great treatment in his text)

E) Light path is reversible, so true

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