Question

The speed of light in vaccum is 3x10 to the power 8 m/s. The refractive index of glycerine is 1.47. Calculate the speed of light in glycerine .

Answer 1

Answer:

The speed of light in a vacuum is 3x10 to the power of 8m/s. The refractive index of glycerine is 1.47. The speed of light in glycerine will be $2.04\times10^{8}\ m/s$

Explanation:

let c be the speed of light in the vacuum and v be the velocity of light in a medium.  Then the expression for refractive index (μ) is given by,

$\\\mu = \frac {c}{v}$  

Or,

$v=\frac{c}{\mu}$                 ...(1)

In this problem, the medium is glycerin.

From the question,

$c= 3\times10^{8} m/s$          $\mu = 1.47$        $v= ?$

Substitute these values into equation (1),

$v = \frac{3 \times 10^8}{1.47} = 2.04\times10^{8}\ m/s$

Thus the speed of light in glycerine $= 2.04\times10^{8}\ m/s$