The index of refraction (n) of a medium is calculated using the formula:
n = c / v
Where:
c = Speed of light in vacuum (approximately 3.00 x 10^8 meters per second)
v = Speed of light in the medium
In this problem, we know the speed of light in the medium (v) is 1.89 x 10^8 meters per second.
Using the formula, we calculate the index of refraction (n) as follows:
n = c / v
n = (3.00 x 10^8 m/s) / (1.89 x 10^8 m/s)
n ≈ 1.59
The index of refraction of the medium is approximately 1.59. The closest answer choice to this calculated value is (D) 1.59.
