Refraction(from air into glass/water)

[kingwinner]

If light is moving from air into glass/water, in which case would light refract (bend) more? Is it true that water is denser than glass, so light bends more from air to water than from air to glass?

By the way, does anyone know what are the physical and optical densities of water and glass?

Can someone explain please?

[UncleAl]

Google
"Snell's law" 89,100 hits

Refractive index depends on frequency in any given material (Sellmeier coefficients). Refractive index depends on the material. Refractive index of a material depends on temperature and pressure. Change of refractive index with frequency (dispersion, Abbe number) depends on the material.

Higher refractive indices generally require more polarizable atoms or proximity to an optical absorption (e.g., cinnabar for both; but beware anomalous dispersion on the other side of the absorption line).

n_D^20 for H2O is 1.33299, d=0.9982 g/cm^3
n_D^20 for D2O is 1.32828, d=1.1056 g/cm^3

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu...opt/glass.html
http://www.mellesgriot.com/products/optics/mp_1.htm
http://www.mellesgriot.com/products/optics/mp_2_1.htm

[kingwinner]

The index of refraction for glass (1.5?) is higher than that of water (1.33), so light form air->glass bent more...that's what I think!

However, in my note, it says "because water is denser than glass, so light bends more from air->water than from air->glass"

Does anyone know why?

[HydrogenBond]

Glass is denser than water. Wash some dishes in the sink and the glasses will sink. Index of refraction is a chemical property of materials. Higher density implies the atoms are closer or there are heavier atoms within the matrix, but the density/index of refrection corrleation may not always apply. I believe if you look at natural gemstones there may be exceptions to that rule.