Re: Snell's Law


shamikphy@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
Hello ,
I have a question.The question is:
why a ray of light when passes through a medium of higher refractive
index to a medium of
lower refractive index or reverse, changes its direction? why Snell's
law is obeyed by light?

Hello,
I will attempt to answer your question but by no means take this as
your sole reference. Please do further research. When light passes
through two media with different dielectric values, it changes its
direction, because the direction of the electromagnetic wave is
governed by something called the wave vector k. And
k=w(frequency)/v(velocity of light in that medium). Again v =
c(velocity of light in vacuum)/n(refractive index of that medium). So,
when n changes, k has to change. Therefore, the direction of
propagation has to change. The refractive index n is a direct result of
something called electric permittivity, which is in turn a result of
something called polarizability, which again is in turn a function of
dipole moments in the atoms and molecules of the medium. So, it all
comes down to the structure and arrangement of the electron clouds in
the atoms and molecules of the medium in question that governs the
propagation of the electromagnetic wave in that medium. Remember light
has to slow down when it goes from optically less dense medium to a
more dense medium? The reason is medium with higher dielectric values
have molecules whose electron clouds imposes the electric potential
which will more strongly impede the e-mag wave propagation. That
electric potential can also effect the direction of the wave
propagation. Again, I have to put the disclaimer, I am not a professor,
I am just a graduate student in photonic field. If anybody wants to add
to this or refute it please do so. I just wanted to start up a
discussion.

.

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