What is Snell’s Law?

Snell’s Law, also known as the law of refraction, describes how light changes direction when it passes from one medium to another. It relates the angles of incidence and refraction to the refractive indices of the two media. This principle is crucial in understanding various optical phenomena and is widely used in fields such as optics, physics, and engineering.

How to Use the Snell’s Law Calculator

Step 1: Enter the refractive index of the first medium (n1) in the corresponding input field. This is the medium from which the light is coming.

Step 2: Input the refractive index of the second medium (n2) in the next field. This is the medium into which the light is entering.

Step 3: Enter the angle of incidence in degrees. This is the angle between the incoming light ray and the normal (perpendicular) to the surface separating the two media.

Step 4: Click the “Calculate” button to obtain the results.

Step 5: Review the calculated angle of refraction displayed in the result section. The calculator will also provide an explanation of the result and its significance.

Step 6: If applicable, check the critical angle information. This is provided when the first medium has a higher refractive index than the second medium.