refraction ( refractive index )
A term indicative of the bending or deflection of
a ray of light from a straight course as it passes
obliquely from one medium to another, e.g., form
air to water, with the extent of deflection being
related to the speed of light in the two mediums.
The refractive index (RI), or index of refraction,
of any substance is the ratio between the speed of
light in air and its speed in the substance. The
greater the difference between the refractive
index of a substance and its surrounding medium,
the more light will be reflected and the less
absorbed, while the smaller the difference, the
less light will be reflected and the more
absorbed. (233 )
![[CoOL]](/icons/sm_cool.gif){kind=icon}