The refractive index is different for different materials and varies with the wavelength of the light concerned. For light of wavelength 589nm emitted from sodium, the refractive index is given below for various materials.
Material | Refractive index |
Ice ( | 1.309 |
Fluorite ( | 1.434 |
Polystyrene | 1.490 |
Rock Salt (NaCl) | 1.544 |
Quartz ( | 1.544 |
Zircon ( | 1.923 |
Diamond ( | 2.417 |
Fabulite ( | 2.410 |
Rutile ( | 2.620 |
Crown Glass | 1.52 |
Light Flint | 1.58 |
Medium Flint | 1.62 |
Dense Flint | 1.66 |
Lanthanum Flint | 1.80 |
Methanol ( | 1.329 |
Water ( | 1.333 |
Ethanol ( | 1.360 |
Carbon T|etrachloride ( | 1.460 |
Turpentine | 1.472 |
Glycerine | 1.473 |
Benzene | 1.501 |
Carbon Disulfide ( | 1.628 |
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