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  Home > Resources > Plastic Properties Descriptions > Refractive Index
 ASTM D542 Explained

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Refractive Index - ASTM D542

ASTM D542 Purchase and download the official ASTM D542 standard today!

Refractive index, or index of refraction, is the ratio of the velocity of light in a vacuum to its velocity in the material in question. Refractive index is useful for identifying materials, and is important in optical applications.
Testing for ASTM D542 is performed using an Abbé refractometer.

Index of refraction can be calculated using Snell's Law:
n1 / n2 = sin θ2 / sin θ1
where n1 and n2 are the refractive indices of mediums 1 and 2, θ1 is the angle of incidence, and θ2 is the angle of refraction.

Refractive Index Geometry

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