A beam of light travels from a medium with an index of refraction of 1.70 to a medium with an index of refraction of 1.30. If the beam refracts at an angle of 23.5° from the normal, at what angle to the normal did it enter the second medium?
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You need to use Snell's Law. If n1 is the refractive index of the first medium, n2 is the refractive index of the second material, θ1 is the angle of incidence and θ2 the angle of refraction, then
n1 sinθ1 = n2 sinθ2.
You're given n1 = 1.70 and n2 = 1.30, as well as θ1 = 23.5 deg. You need to find θ2.
1.70sin23.5 = 1.30sinθ2. so sinθ2 = 1.70sin23.5/1.30 = 31.4 deg.