A ray of light travels obliquely from a less dense medium to a denser medium. Which of the following statements is true about the light?

Answer Details

When light travels from a less dense medium (such as air) to a denser medium (such as glass), it slows down. According to Snell's Law of Refraction, the ratio of the speed of light in the two media is proportional to the ratio of their refractive indices. This means that the speed of the light decreases in the denser medium. As the speed of light is proportional to its frequency, a decrease in the speed of light results in a decrease in its frequency. This means that there is a change in the frequency of the light when it travels from the less dense medium to the denser medium. Additionally, when light travels obliquely from a less dense medium to a denser medium, it bends towards the normal (perpendicular) to the surface separating the two media. This is known as refraction and is responsible for the bending of light at the surface of a lens or the surface of a swimming pool. So, the answer is that the light refracts towards the normal and there is a change in the frequency of the light.