index of refraction

American  

noun

Optics.

1. a number indicating the speed of light in a given medium as either the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to that in the given medium absolute index of refraction or the ratio of the speed of light in a specified medium to that in the given medium relative index of refraction. n

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index of refraction British  

noun

1. another name for refractive index

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index of refraction Scientific  

1. A measure of the extent to which a substance slows down light waves passing through it. The index of refraction of a substance is equal to the ratio of the velocity of light in a vacuum to its speed in that substance. Its value determines the extent to which light is refracted when entering or leaving the substance.

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Etymology

Origin of index of refraction

First recorded in 1820–30

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

index of refraction

The difference in index of refraction between the two materials defines the angle of that bending.

From Scientific American ● Nov. 18, 2022

Light entering a medium with a negative index of refraction, on the contrary, would bend backward, creating unexpected optical effects, such as a straw appearing to lean the wrong way.

From Scientific American ● Nov. 18, 2022

The angle of refraction depends on the index of refraction, as we saw in The Law of Refraction.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

Snell’s experiments showed that the law of refraction was obeyed and that a characteristic index of refraction n could be assigned to a given medium.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

Their minds had the same index of refraction, so that thoughts flashed back and forth between them effortlessly and without distortion.

From Mary Wollaston by Henry Kitchell Webster

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