The wavelength of blue light changes from m to m as it passes from air to water.
What is the speed of this light in water?
Source: Cambridge IGCSE Physics - Multiple Choice (March 2020)
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We know that for a light wave: v = f λ where f is the frequency and λ is the wavelength. Now, as light passes from one medium to another, its frequency remains unchanged since the frequency of the wave depends on the light source itself. What does change is the wavelength. Let the speed of blue light in air and its corresponding wavelength be v 1 and λ 1 respectively. Let the speed of blue light in water and its corresponding wavelength be v 2 and λ 2 respectively. Then:
v 1 = f λ 1 v 2 = f λ 2
Dividing both equations and rearranging:
⟹ v 2 = λ 1 v 1 λ 2 ≈ 2 . 2 × 1 0 8 m / s