On the Moon's surface, lunar astronauts placed a corner reflector, off which a laser beam is periodically reflected. The distance to the Moon is calculated from the round-trip time. The Earth's atmosphere slows down light. Assume the distance to the Moon is precisely 3.84×108 m, and Earth's atmosphere (which varies in density with altitude) is equivalent to a layer 20.0 km thick with a constant index of refraction n=1.000293. What is the difference in travel time for light that travels only through space to the moon and back and light that travels through the atmosphere and space?
Refraction of Light
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Angle of Refraction
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Index of Refraction of Diamond
Diamond, the world’s hardest naturally occurring material and mineral known, is a solid form of the element carbon. The atoms are arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. They exist in a huge variety of colours. Also, they are one of the best conductors of heat and have a very high melting point.
On the Moon's surface, lunar astronauts placed a corner reflector, off which a laser beam is periodically reflected. The distance to the Moon is calculated from the round-trip time. The Earth's atmosphere slows down light. Assume the distance to the Moon is precisely 3.84×108 m, and Earth's atmosphere (which varies in density with altitude) is equivalent to a layer 20.0 km thick with a constant index of refraction n=1.000293. What is the difference in travel time for light that travels only through space to the moon and back and light that travels through the atmosphere and space?
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