Question

Two values of this quantity, each for a different material, appear in Snell’s Law. For 10 points each:
[10e] Name this “index”, the ratio of the speed of light in a given material divided by the speed of light in a vacuum.
ANSWER: refractive index [or index of refraction; prompt on n]
[10m] Materials with this property have different refractive indices along separate axes. The Michel–Levy chart allows one to identify minerals based on their degree of this property.
ANSWER: birefringence [accept birefringent]
[10h] This device uses a birefringent material to convert between linear and circular polarization by introducing a 90-degree phase shift between the two perpendicularly polarized components.
ANSWER: quarter-wave plate [prompt on wave plate]
<Physics>

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Summary

Data

Durham BBristol A100010
Cambridge CBristol B1001020
Cambridge AWarwick B100010
VanderbiltCambridge D100010
Durham AManchester1010020
Imperial ABirmingham100010
LSE AImperial B1010020
LSE BOxford B100010
EdinburghSouthampton B100010
Oxford AWarwick A1010020