What occurs to light as it transitions from air into water?

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When light transitions from air into water, its speed decreases due to the difference in the medium's densities and refractive indices. In air, light travels faster than in water because air is less dense compared to water. As the light enters the water, it slows down and this change in speed causes the light to bend.

The phenomenon of bending light at the interface between two different media is described by Snell's Law, which states that the angle of incidence is related to the angle of refraction through the refractive indices of the two media. When light moves from a less dense medium (air) to a denser medium (water), it bends towards the normal line, which is an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point of entry. This behavior is fundamental to understanding concepts such as refraction and has practical applications in optics, including the design of lenses and other optical devices.