In the context of light behavior, what happens when light passes from a medium where it travels faster to a medium where it travels slower?

When light transitions from a faster medium to a slower medium, it bends towards the normal line. This bending occurs due to a change in speed as the light wave enters the different medium; it slows down as it goes from a less dense to a denser medium (for example, moving from air into water).

This behavior is a consequence of Snell's Law, which describes how light refracts when it enters a different medium. When light slows down, the angle of refraction relative to the normal (an imaginary line perpendicular to the boundary between the two media) becomes smaller. As a result, the path of the light is redirected towards the normal line.

This phenomenon illustrates the fundamental property of light that its speed is influenced by the medium through which it travels, which is essential in fields such as optics and various applications in medical laboratory settings. Understanding this principle is crucial for interpreting how light interacts with different materials, which can be pivotal when utilizing optical devices or conducting experiments that involve light transmission.