Physics 28
To view all the medium's refractive indices, please refer to this website:





Some representative refractive indices
Materialλ (nm)nRef.Vacuum1 (exactly)Air @ STP1.0002926Gases @ 0 °C and 1 atmAir589.291.000293
Helium589.291.000036[1]Hydrogen589.291.000132[1]Carbon dioxide589.291.00045[2]

[3] [4]

Liquids @ 20 °CBenzene589.291.501[1]Carbon disulfide589.291.628[1]Carbon tetrachloride589.291.461[1]Ethyl alcohol (ethanol)589.291.361[1]Silicone oil1.52045[5]Water589.291.3330[1]Arsenic trisulfide and sulfur in methylene iodide1.9[6]Solids @ room temperatureDiamond589.292.419[1]Strontium titanate589.292.41Amber589.291.55[1]Fused silica (also called Fused Quartz)589.291.458[1]Sodium chloride589.291.50[1]Other materialsWater ice1.31cornea (human)1.3375Cryolite1.338Acetone1.36Ethanol1.36Teflon1.35 - 1.38lens (human)1.386 - 1.406Sylgard 1841.43Pyrex (a borosilicate glass)1.470[7]Glycerol1.4729Acrylic glass1.490 - 1.492Rock salt1.516Crown glass (pure)1.50 - 1.54Salt (NaCl)1.544Polycarbonate1.584 - 1.586PMMA1.4893 - 1.4899PETg1.57PET1.5750Flint glass (pure)1.60 - 1.62Crown glass (impure)1.485 - 1.755Bromine1.661Sapphire1.762–1.778Flint glass (impure)1.523 - 1.925Cubic zirconia2.15 - 2.18Potassium Niobate (KNbO3)2.28Moissanite2.65 - 2.69Cinnabar (Mercury sulfide)3.02Gallium(III) phosphide3.5Gallium(III) arsenide3.927Silicon
4.01[8]