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refractive index
noun
: the ratio of the speed of radiation (such as light) in one medium (such as air, glass, or a vacuum) to that in another medium
Examples of refractive index in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The refractive index of those aqueous components is low, while the refractive index of the proteins and lipids is high.
—Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 16 Sep. 2024
The change in clarity comes because water and air molecules have different refractive indexes—the amount of light that bends passing through an object or substance.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 5 Sep. 2024
In tissues, the lipids that make up cell membranes have a refractive index of about 1.4, higher than the surrounding water.
—Bysara Reardon, science.org, 5 Sep. 2024
The dye, when mixed with water, modifies the refractive index — a measure of the way a substance bends light — of the aqueous part of the tissue to better match the index of proteins and fats in the tissue.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 5 Sep. 2024
But tartrazine dye, through its powerful absorption of blue wavelengths of light, changes the refractive index of water to be much closer to that of fat, Hong says.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 5 Sep. 2024
In such a universe, rulers and yardsticks would never be straight (solid objects would expand and shrink with the temperature gradient) while the refractive index would make light rays appear to travel in curves rather than lines.
—Quanta Magazine, 30 July 2024
Moreover, this universe features a refractive index — a measurement of how light rays bend — that is inversely proportional to the temperature.
—Quanta Magazine, 30 July 2024
The refractive index is directly related to the concentration of chemical constituents within the cells, such as DNA, proteins and lipids.
—Matjaž Humar and Seok-Hyun Yun, Discover Magazine, 27 July 2015
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Word History
First Known Use
1839, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near refractive index
Cite this Entry
“Refractive index.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refractive%20index. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
refractive index
noun
: the ratio of the speed of light in one medium (as air or glass) to that in another medium
Medical Definition
refractive index
nounMore from Merriam-Webster on refractive index
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about refractive index
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