What does refraction in light waves primarily depend on?

Refraction of light waves primarily occurs due to the change in speed of light as it passes through different mediums. When light travels from one medium to another—such as from air to water—it slows down or speeds up, depending on the optical density of the mediums involved. This change in speed causes the light to change direction, which is the essence of refraction.

For instance, when light enters a denser medium, like water, it slows down and bends towards the normal (an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence). Conversely, when it exits a denser medium back into a less dense one, it speeds up and bends away from the normal. This fundamental principle is governed by Snell's Law, which quantitatively describes the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of refraction based on the indices of refraction of the two media.

While the angle of incidence is related to how much bending occurs, it does not solely determine the occurrence of refraction; the change in speed of light is the primary factor. The color of the light (its wavelength) and the frequency also have effects on refraction, such as in the case of dispersion where different colors bend at different angles, but these are secondary to the