A laser pulse passes successively through two transparent sheets of equal thickness 4.0cm each. In sheet A the pulse takes 2.20×10−10s to emerge, whereas in sheet B it takes 1.60×10−10s. The speed of light in vacuum is 3.0×108m s−1.
a. (i) Calculate the speed of light inside sheet A and inside sheet B.
b. (ii) Determine the absolute refractive index of each sheet.
c. (iii) Find the ratio of the refractive index of sheet A to that of sheet B.
d. (iv) Identify which sheet is optically denser and state one consequence of this difference when light passes from sheet B to sheet A.