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Physics - Snell's Law

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  • 30-05-2010 10:02pm
    #1
    Scoobydooo
    Registered Users Posts: 341 ✭✭


    When your graphing Sin i against Sin r which axis do you put them on ? I've looked through my book and the exam paper answers and they both say different things :confused:


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    #2
    ch252
    Closed Accounts Posts: 668 ✭✭✭ch252


    Doesn't matter really, I go with sin i on the y-axis but afaik you must invert the slope to get the refractive index if you do it the other way around


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    #3
    Aoifums
    Registered Users Posts: 1,126 ✭✭✭Aoifums


    Sin i (y axis) over Sin r (x axis) becuase the formula is sin i/sin r. Then you find the slope to get the refractive index.
    You could do it the other way around, but you'd have to be more careful when finding the slope.

    My physics teacher says that it's fine to go against the book or exam paper's answers for graphs once they're done correctly and you get the right answer.


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    #4
    Scoobydooo
    Registered Users Posts: 341 ✭✭Scoobydooo


    Thanks guys


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