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refraction 
  n 
1  (Physics) the change in direction of a propagating wave, such as light or sound, in passing from one medium to another in which it has a different velocity 
2 the amount by which a wave is refracted 
3 the ability of the eye to refract light 
4 the determination of the refractive condition of the eye 
5  (Astronomy) the apparent elevation in position of a celestial body resulting from the refraction of light by the earth's atmosphere 


angle of refraction 
  n the angle that a refracted beam of radiation makes with the normal to the surface between two media at the point of refraction 
double refraction 
  n the splitting of a ray of unpolarized light into two unequally refracted rays polarized in mutually perpendicular planes, (Also called)  birefringence 
index of refraction 
  n  another name for   refractive index 

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