What is the index of refraction of a medium where light travels at approximately 109,412 miles per second?

• A. 1.50
• B. 1.70
• C. 1.80
• D. 2.00

Answer: (B)

To determine the index of refraction of a medium, we can use the formula:

[ n = \frac{c}{v} ]

where ( n ) is the index of refraction, ( c ) is the speed of light in a vacuum (approximately 186,282 miles per second), and ( v ) is the speed of light in the medium.

Given that light travels at approximately 109,412 miles per second in the medium, we can plug in the values:

1. Calculate the index of refraction:

[ n = \frac{186,282 \text{ miles/second}}{109,412 \text{ miles/second}} ]

2. Performing the division:

[ n \approx 1.70 ]

This calculation indicates that the index of refraction for the medium where light travels at 109,412 miles per second is approximately 1.70. This value confirms that light slows down when it enters this particular medium compared to its speed in a vacuum, which is reflected in the index of refraction being greater than 1.