Snell’s law of refraction

E26832

Snell’s law of refraction is a fundamental principle in optics that relates the angles of incidence and refraction to the refractive indices of two media, governing how light bends when passing between them.

All labels observed (4)

Label Occurrences
Snell's law 3
Snell–Descartes law 2
Snell’s law 1

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Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf law of optics
law of refraction
physical law
alsoKnownAs Snell’s law of refraction
surface form: Snell–Descartes law

Snell’s law of refraction
surface form: Snell’s law
angleMeasuredFrom normal to the interface
appliesTo electromagnetic waves
infrared radiation
light rays
microwaves
transition between two homogeneous media
visible light
wavefronts at planar interfaces
assumes isotropic media
linear media
monochromatic light
non-absorbing media
connects speed of light in different media
consequenceOf wave nature of light
derivedFrom Fermat’s principle of least time
Huygens–Fresnel principle
surface form: Huygens’ principle
describes refraction of light
equationForm n1 * sin(θ1) = n2 * sin(θ2)
expressibleAs n = c / v
field geometrical optics
optics
governs bending of light at an interface
hasLimitation does not directly account for anisotropic crystals
historicallyAttributedTo Willebrord Snellius
implies light bends away from normal when entering lower index medium
light bends toward normal when entering higher index medium
ratio of sines of angles equals ratio of refractive indices
mathematicalType trigonometric relation
relatedTo critical angle
law of reflection
total internal reflection
relates angle of incidence
angle of refraction
refractive index of media
symbolDefinition n1 is refractive index of first medium
n2 is refractive index of second medium
θ1 is angle of incidence
θ2 is angle of refraction
usedIn design of lenses
design of prisms
fiber optics
optical imaging systems
ray tracing calculations
refractive index measurements
validWhen wavelength is much smaller than system dimensions

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Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Newtonian optics usesConcept Snell’s law of refraction
Snell’s law of refraction alsoKnownAs Snell’s law of refraction
this entity surface form: Snell’s law
Snell’s law of refraction alsoKnownAs Snell’s law of refraction
this entity surface form: Snell–Descartes law
Fresnel equations relatedTo Snell’s law of refraction
this entity surface form: Snell's law
Dioptrique formulates Snell’s law of refraction
this entity surface form: Snell–Descartes law
Willebrord Snellius notableFor Snell’s law of refraction
this entity surface form: Snell's law
Willebrord Snellius discovered Snell’s law of refraction
this entity surface form: Snell's law