What does Snell's Law describe in relation to light transmission?

Snell's Law specifically addresses how light refracts as it passes from one medium to another with differing refractive indices. The law is mathematically represented as n1 * sin(θ1) = n2 * sin(θ2), where n represents the refractive index and θ represents the angle to the normal for each medium. It directly relates the angle at which light enters a medium (incidence) to the angle at which it refracts within that medium.

The concept of the critical angle ties into Snell's Law as it defines the angle of incidence above which total internal reflection occurs, meaning light cannot pass into the second medium but rather reflects entirely within the first medium. This principle is crucial in understanding how light behaves at the interface of different materials, and its application is fundamental to disciplines such as optics and photonics.

The other options, while relating to light behavior, do not accurately capture the essence of Snell's Law. Reflection is governed by different principles, absorption relates to how light energy is transformed as it passes through materials, and dispersion pertains to the separation of light into its component wavelengths, particularly in contexts like fiber optics. Hence, focusing on light refraction and the critical angle aligns directly with the core concept of Snell