Refraction

Definition

Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another, caused by a change in its speed. It occurs because light waves travel at different speeds in different materials.

Analogy

Imagine you are riding a bike and suddenly enter a muddy path. Your bike slows down and changes direction due to the resistance of the mud. Similarly, when light enters a new material, it slows down and changes direction due to the change in medium.

Related terms

Snell's Law: This law describes how light bends when it passes through different mediums and relates the angles of incidence and refraction.

Index of Refraction: This term refers to the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to its speed in a given medium.

Total Internal Reflection: This phenomenon occurs when light traveling from a denser medium to a less dense medium is completely reflected back instead of being refracted.