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Glite Dictionary
index of refraction

index of refraction

1 6.9
A number showing how much light slows in a material compared to empty space
  • noun
  • /ˈɪndɛks əv rɪˈfrækʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : índice de refracción
  • When light passes from air into water, the change in speed results in a different index of refraction.
  • variation in the index of refraction
  • index of refraction of transparent materials
  • high index of refraction

And meta materials allow you to have an index of refraction which governs the bending of light and have negative index of refraction.

Examples

  • The index of refraction of glass is higher than that of air, affecting how light travels through it.

  • Sugar and syrup have an index of refraction that's quite a bit higher than water.

  • Such materials change their index of refraction.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Well, the index of refraction appears in the propagation of the plane wave.

  • The index of refraction of water is 1.33.

    Academic text (2001)

  • A sensor would monitor the guide star's changing index of refraction, then communicate its information to the rubber mirror.

    Academic text (1994)

  • Detection of level in bi-color level gauges depends on the distinction in the index of refraction between steam and water.

    Blog text (9)

  • Their operating principle depends upon the dissimilarity in the index of refraction between fluids and vapors.

    Blog text (9)

  • The rest of the garnet acted as a substrate whose index of refraction matched the luminescent layer.

    Academic text (2012)

  • The index of refraction in the near crystalline zones is not equal to the index of refraction in the amorphous zones.

Synonyms

refractive index
vsindex of refraction
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A number that shows how much a material slows light compared with empty space

is the same measure but differs only in naming or word order
refractivity
vsindex of refraction
  • Specialized
9.3

The amount a material bends light and other waves

is the specific numerical ratio rather than the general tendency to bend light
refractiveness
vsindex of refraction
  • Specialized
9.8

The amount a material bends light when the light passes through it, like water or glass

is the precise numerical ratio used to measure that material quality

Surface Forms

index of refraction singular
index refractive singular
indices of refraction plural

Morphology

index + of + refraction

The meaning is compositionally derived: 'index' denotes a numerical indicator and 'refraction' denotes the bending/change of waves between media, so an 'index of refraction' is readily understood as a numerical measure related to refraction (in practice the speed ratio). This noun-of-noun construction is a standard, transparent scientific formation and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should be able to infer the meaning.

Etymology

Index of refraction puts together index (a number that measures) and refraction (light changing direction). It is the number that tells how much light slows down and 'bends' in a material compared with empty space, so the name literally means the number that 'measures' bending.