Calculate refraction angles and indices of refraction.
Optical Parameters
Medium 1
Medium 2
Calculation Results
Enter parameters to calculate
About this calculator
Quick Reference
n₁Refractive index (Incident)
n₂Refractive index (Refracted)
θ₁Angle of Incidence
θ₂Angle of Refraction
Overview
Snell's Law describes how a ray of light changes direction when passing from one medium to another. It relates the refractive indices of the media to the angles of incidence and refraction.
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Pro Tips
Angles are measured relative to the normal (perpendicular) to the surface.
Light bends towards the normal when entering a denser medium (higher n).
Total Internal Reflection occurs if θ₁ is greater than the critical angle when moving from a denser to a lighter medium.
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Fun Facts
"The refractive index of diamond is so high (2.42) that it causes light to bounce around inside, giving it its famous 'fire'."
"Mirages are caused by refraction as light passes through layers of air with different temperatures (and thus different densities/indices)."
"Fiber optic cables rely on Total Internal Reflection to transmit data over long distances with minimal loss."
