How does the bending of light occur during refraction in transparent materials, and what role does the refractive index play?
In transparent materials like glass, water, and diamonds, when light enters from air, its path bends toward an imaginary line perpendicular to the materials surface. This bending is a result of the refractive index, which is uniform throughout the material. The refractive index depends on the atomic electric response of the material, influencing how light behaves as it crosses the boundary between different media.