Snell's law

[snelz]

noun

Optics.

1. the law that, for a ray incident on the interface of two media, the sine of the angle of incidence times the index of refraction of the first medium is equal to the sine of the angle of refraction times the index of refraction of the second medium.

Snell's law

/ snɛlz /

noun

1. physics the principle that the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is constant when a light ray passes from one medium to another

Word History and Origins

Origin of Snell's law¹

Named after Willebrod Snell van Royen (died 1626), Dutch mathematician

Word History and Origins

Origin of Snell's law¹

C17: named after Willebrord Snell (1591–1626), Dutch physicist