What happens to light speed when light passes from air into a denser medium such as glass?

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Multiple Choice

What happens to light speed when light passes from air into a denser medium such as glass?

Explanation:
Light slows down when it enters a denser medium because the material’s optical density, described by its refractive index, slows the wave’s propagation. The speed of light in a medium is c/n, where n is greater than 1 for substances like glass. In glass, light travels around c/1.5, roughly two-thirds of its vacuum speed. The frequency stays the same across the boundary, so the wavelength shortens inside the glass. This slowing comes from how the electromagnetic wave interacts with the medium’s atoms, causing delays as the wave is polarized and re-radiated, leading to a slower overall travel speed.

Light slows down when it enters a denser medium because the material’s optical density, described by its refractive index, slows the wave’s propagation. The speed of light in a medium is c/n, where n is greater than 1 for substances like glass. In glass, light travels around c/1.5, roughly two-thirds of its vacuum speed. The frequency stays the same across the boundary, so the wavelength shortens inside the glass. This slowing comes from how the electromagnetic wave interacts with the medium’s atoms, causing delays as the wave is polarized and re-radiated, leading to a slower overall travel speed.

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