Question

What does 'OPTICALLY' rarer or denser medium mean?

Answer 1

Hola!!!

Here is your answer,

Optically rarer medium is a medium which has comparatively less density as compared to any other medium through which the light ray is traveling for eg,

When a light ray travelling in water reaches the surface and enters an optically rarer medium ie "air" (rarer medium bcs air has less density as compared to water) thus when light ray enters air medium after traveling through water refracts or deflects away from the perpendicular or normal at the point of incidence.

Optically denser medium means a medium which has comparatively more density than the other medium through which the light is traveling. For eg :

When a light ray travelling in air enters water ie an optically denser medium (bcs water has higher density as compared to air) then the light ray bends towards the normal or perpendicular to that point of incidence.

Thus, in shot when light travels from a rarer medium (air) to a denser medium (water) then it bends towards the normal at the point of incidence and when light ray travels from a denser medium (water) to a rarer medium (air) then it bends away from the normal.


Hope it helps you.
Thank you.