A ray of light while travelling in a medium falls normally on the surface of another medium. At the point of incidence on the interface of the media, it :

Foundation

Physics Foundation

Refraction and parallel slab

Light

Question

A ray of light while travelling in a medium falls normally on the surface of another medium. At the point of incidence on the interface of the media, it :

does not enter the second medium at all.

bends towards the normal.

goes straight into the second medium without bending.

bends away from the normal.

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When light travels from one medium to another and strikes the interface at a normal incidence (90° angle), the angle of incidence is 0°. According to Snell's Law: $n_{1} \sin θ_{i} = n_{2} \sin θ_{r}$ . Since sin(0°) = 0, the angle of refraction $θ_{r}$ must also be 0°, regardless of the refractive indices $n_{1}$ and $n_{2}$ . Therefore, the light does not bend and continues straight into the second medium.

Final answer: goes straight into the second medium without bending.