Practice question
Question
What is the frequency of light with a wavelength of \( 600 \, \text{nm} \) in air, given the speed of
light in air is \( 3.0 \times 10^8 \, \text{m/s} \)?
Explanation
**Wave model predicts** light bends away from normal when entering rarer medium because speed increases, Snell's law n₁ sinθ₁ = n₂ sinθ₂, n₁>n₂ so sinθ₂>sinθ₁ θ₂>θ₁ away from normal, towards normal when denser, wavefront slows in denser, Huygens construction shows bending. Frequency nu = (c/λ) . λ = 600 nm = 6.0 × 10⁻⁷ m , c = 3.0 × 10⁸ m/s . nu = (3.0 × 10⁸/6.0 × 10⁻⁷) = 5.0 × 10¹⁴ Hz . Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n, λ' = λ/n and
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