An electromagnetic wave of wavelength

5.89 × 10^–7 meter traveling through air is

incident on an interface with corn oil. Calculate

the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave in

corn oil. [Show all work, including the equation

and substitution with units.]

Explanation:

When an electromagnetic wave passes through the interface between two mediums, it undergoes refraction, which means that it bents and its speed and its wavelength change.

In particular, the wavelength of an electromagnetic wave in a certain medium is related to the index of refraction of the medium by:

where

is the wavelength in a vacuum (air is a good approximation of vacuum)

n is the refractive index of the medium

In this problem:

is the original wavelength of the wave

n = 1.47 is the index of refraction of corn oil

Therefore, the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave in corn oil is:

luster is not a good characteristic to use by itself because luster is the property of minerals that indicates how much the surface of a mineral reflects light. the luster of a mineral is affected by the brilliance of the light used to observe the mineral surface.