AQA GCSE Triple Science – Physics Practice Test

What happens to light when it enters a slower medium in terms of refraction?

Speed changes; bends toward the normal when entering a slower medium; away when entering a faster medium Speed remains the same; no bending Light slows when entering faster medium and bends away from the normal Wavelength increases in all media

Correct Answer:

Speed changes; bends toward the normal when entering a slower medium; away when entering a faster medium

Explanation:

Refraction happens because light changes speed when it crosses into a different material. When it enters a slower medium, its speed decreases, and since the frequency stays the same, the wavelength becomes shorter. This change in speed at the boundary causes the ray to bend toward the normal. The relationship n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2 (with n2 > n1) gives θ2 < θ1, so the refracted ray moves closer to the normal. In contrast, entering a faster medium would speed it up and bend away from the normal, and light does change speed in different media, so claims of no bending or no speed change aren’t correct. The wavelength adjusts with speed (it gets shorter in the slower medium) while the frequency remains constant.

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