Predicting refraction based off of refractive indexes, how is this done?

[mrh125]

like how do you predict how light bends from the transition in a medium with a higher refractive index to a lower one and how the angle changes? I remember it had to do something with the normal, but that stuff never made much sense to me as undergrad. I have a really good example from the AAMCs self-assessment package, but i'm not sure if im allowed to post that

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[jetsfan1234]

Snell's law

 

[Jepstein30]

You can post that example.

If you need exact numbers, use Snell's law: N1Sin1 = N2Sin2

For the MCAT, you can usually just get away with this:
Going into a higher density material (higher refractive index) = bends towards normal (fans out less)
Going into a lower density material (lower refractive index) = bends away from normal (fans out more)

think:
less dense = more space so it can spread out
more dense = less space so it get stuck to the middle

I'd get comfortable with the above but make sure you can use Snell's law too. Especially because that is the only way to answer questions about total internal reflection (though the above reasoning can narrow it down to a 50/50 usually).

 

[mrh125]

You can post that example.

If you need exact numbers, use Snell's law: N1Sin1 = N2Sin2

For the MCAT, you can usually just get away with this:
Going into a higher density material (higher refractive index) = bends towards normal (fans out less)
Going into a lower density material (lower refractive index) = bends away from normal (fans out more)

think:
less dense = more space so it can spread out
more dense = less space so it get stuck to the middle

I'd get comfortable with the above but make sure you can use Snell's law too. Especially because that is the only way to answer questions about total internal reflection (though the above reasoning can narrow it down to a 50/50 usually).

thanks.

Here's the same problem. I guessed it right (weird assumption I made based off of 45 degree angles), but it's still like huh? Does this have to do with indexes of refraction?