A student investigates the refraction of light using a salt solution inside a hollow glass prism. They shine a ray of green light into the prism and observe its path.
Explain what is meant by the term refraction.
The refractive index of the salt solution is lower for red light than it is for green light. Explain how the path of a red light ray through the prism would differ from that of the green light ray.
Suggest what would happen to the path of the green light ray if a salt solution with a higher concentration (and therefore a larger refractive index) were used in the prism.
A technician working in a food processing laboratory uses a refractometer to measure the salt concentration of various brine solutions. Different salt concentrations give different readings on the refractometer.
The table below shows the laboratory results:
Salt concentration (g/L)Refractometer reading025103220413061406550806097\begin{array}{|c|c|} \hline \textbf{Salt concentration (g/L)} & \textbf{Refractometer reading} \\ \hline 0 & 25 \\ \hline 10 & 32 \\ \hline 20 & 41 \\ \hline 30 & 61 \\ \hline 40 & 65 \\ \hline 50 & 80 \\ \hline 60 & 97 \\ \hline \end{array}Salt concentration (g/L)0102030405060Refractometer reading25324161658097Identify the anomalous data point in the table, and suggest what the correct refractometer reading should be at this concentration.
Use the trend in the data to estimate the salt concentration when the refractometer reading is 505050.
Describe the pattern shown by the data in the table.
