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Snell's Law Suppose that a light sourc e at is in a medium
Chapter 7, Problem 60E(choose chapter or problem)
Suppose that a light source at A is in a medium in which light travels at a speed \(v_{1}\), and the point B is in a medium in which light travels at a speed \(v_{2}\) (see figure). Using Fermat's Principle, which states that light travels along the path that requires the minimum travel time (Exercise 59), show that the path taken between points A and B satisfies \(\left(\sin \theta_{1}\right) / v_{1}=\left(\sin \theta_{2}\right) / v_{2}\).
Questions & Answers
QUESTION:
Suppose that a light source at A is in a medium in which light travels at a speed \(v_{1}\), and the point B is in a medium in which light travels at a speed \(v_{2}\) (see figure). Using Fermat's Principle, which states that light travels along the path that requires the minimum travel time (Exercise 59), show that the path taken between points A and B satisfies \(\left(\sin \theta_{1}\right) / v_{1}=\left(\sin \theta_{2}\right) / v_{2}\).
ANSWER:
Solution Step 1 Consider that a light source at Ais in medium, in which light travels at a speedV and1the pointBis in medium in which the light travels at a speedV . 2 Consider a light ray travelling from point Ato pointB, which has different refractive indices in different media. Now, the refractive index of any medium is defined as the speed of the light in vacuum to the speed of the light in that medium. In the above figure, Let, In right-angled triangleAMOuse the Pythagorean Theorem to obtain Similarly, in right-angled triangleBNC use the Pythagorean Theorem to obtain The time travel between the two points is the distance in each medium divided by the speed of light in that medium. That is, time travel is equal to