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Multiple Choice
You turn on one laser in air and shine a second laser through a glass block. How much farther does the light travel in air compared to light traveling in the glass over a period of 2 nanoseconds?
A
0.19m
B
0.15m
C
0.6m
D
1.1m
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the indices of refraction for air and glass from the table: n_air = 1 and n_glass = 1.46.
Use the formula for the speed of light in a medium: v = c / n, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum (3.0 x 10^8 m/s). Calculate the speed of light in air: v_air = c / n_air.
Calculate the speed of light in glass using the same formula: v_glass = c / n_glass.
Determine the distance light travels in each medium over 2 nanoseconds using the formula: distance = speed x time. Calculate the distance in air: d_air = v_air x 2 x 10^-9 s.
Calculate the distance in glass: d_glass = v_glass x 2 x 10^-9 s. Subtract the distance in glass from the distance in air to find how much farther light travels in air compared to glass over the same time period.