Difference between revisions of "MainPage:Nuclear:Summer2012:RefractiveIndex"
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== About Our Work == | == About Our Work == | ||
The index of refraction is a property of a material which dictates how quickly light travels through that material. As light passes through a material with one index of refraction to a material with a different index of refraction, the light changes speed and "bends" as it changes mediums. When light travels from a material with a low index of refraction to one with a high index of refraction, the light is bent toward the normal, and vice verse. | The index of refraction is a property of a material which dictates how quickly light travels through that material. As light passes through a material with one index of refraction to a material with a different index of refraction, the light changes speed and "bends" as it changes mediums. When light travels from a material with a low index of refraction to one with a high index of refraction, the light is bent toward the normal, and vice verse. | ||
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We are working to measure the index of refraction of aerogel to a very high degree of precision. This value is significant because the aerogel will be used as a particle identification system in the Kaon Aerogel Detector at JLab to distinguish between Kaons and Protons according to their momentum. | We are working to measure the index of refraction of aerogel to a very high degree of precision. This value is significant because the aerogel will be used as a particle identification system in the Kaon Aerogel Detector at JLab to distinguish between Kaons and Protons according to their momentum. | ||
Revision as of 15:23, 10 July 2012
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About Our Work
The index of refraction is a property of a material which dictates how quickly light travels through that material. As light passes through a material with one index of refraction to a material with a different index of refraction, the light changes speed and "bends" as it changes mediums. When light travels from a material with a low index of refraction to one with a high index of refraction, the light is bent toward the normal, and vice verse. We are working to measure the index of refraction of aerogel to a very high degree of precision. This value is significant because the aerogel will be used as a particle identification system in the Kaon Aerogel Detector at JLab to distinguish between Kaons and Protons according to their momentum.