refraction

The change in direction of propagation of a light wave as a result of its traveling at different speeds at different points along the wavefront, it occurs when a ray is obliquely incident at a refractive index interface with accordance to Snell's law.

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Refraction of Light

The refraction applet is very simple to operate. To adjust the incident angle, simply move the slider labeled "Incident Angle" and the wave angle will change. To change media, click on the "Refraction Medium" arrow tab and select a different medium. The refracted wave will change with respect to both the angle of refraction and wave velocity to simulate properties of the new medium. The wavelength of the incident beam can also be changed by adjusting the "Wavelength" slider. As the value of the wavelength is changed, the color will change to reflect the color of light at the given wavelength.