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{{Language_sel|LANG=ger|ARTIKEL=Brechzahl}}
{{PSM_Infobox}}
Refraction index or refraction number
__FORCETOC__

==Characteristics of light==

For many applications of [[Plastics|plastics]], their optical properties are of particular importance. The metrological basis for test methods with which such properties can be quantitatively recorded is based on the fundamentals of geometric optics (also known as rays optics). Here, properties of light such as [[Reflection Light|reflection]], [[Refraction Light|refraction]] and [[Dispersion|dispersion]] are examined.

==Optical refraction and light reflection==

When a light ray falls on the [[Phase Boundary Surface|interface]] between two transparent media, part of it is generally reflected and part of it is refracted. Both rays travel in the plane of incidence. The angle of reflection ''α''R is equal to the angle of incidence ''α''1. The following relationship applies to the angle of refraction ''α''2 ('''Fig. 1''') ('''Eq. 1'''):

{|
|-
|width="20px"|
|width="500px" | <math>n_{2}\cdot \sin \alpha _{2}=n_{1}\cdot \sin \alpha _{1}</math>
|(1)
|}

[[File:Refaction_Index_-_Fig-1.jpg|400px]]
{|
|- valign="top"
|width="50px"|'''Fig. 1''':
|width="600px"|Optical refraction and reflection at a flat interface
|}

''n''1 and ''n''2 are the index of refraction of the media in which the incident and refracted rays propagate. ''α''2 is the angle of refraction, ''α''1 is the angle of incidence. The index of refraction ''n'' is defined for each medium as the ratio between the light velocity in a vacuum and in that medium ('''Eq. 2'''):

{|
|-
|width="20px"|
|width="500px" | <math>n=\frac{c}{v}</math>
|(2)
|}

mit:

{|
|-
|width="10px"| ''c''
|width="500px" | light velocity
|-
|''v''
|velocity in the medium
|
|}

==See also==

* [[Refraction Light|Refraction light]]
* [[Reflection Light|Reflection light]]
* [[Light Absorption|Light absorption]]
* [[Light Remission|Light remission]]
* [[Light Transmission|Light transmission]]

==References==

* Halliday, D., Resnick, R., Walker, J., Koch, S. (Eds.): Halliday Physik. Wiley VCH Publishing, Weinheim (2018) (ISBN 978-3-527-41356-0)
* Trempler, J.: Optische Eigenschaften. In: [[Grellmann, Wolfgang|Grellmann, W.]], [[Seidler, Sabine|Seidler, S.]] (Eds.): Kunststoffprüfung. Carl Hanser, Munich (2025) 4th Edition, pp. 311–343 (ISBN 978-3-446-44718-9; E-Book: ISBN 978-3-446-48105-3; see [[AMK-Library]] under A 23)

[[Category:Light]]

Refraction Index - Revision history