The index of refraction of air increases with density. (Recall that the index of refraction of air

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The index of refraction of air increases with density. (Recall that the index of refraction of air at standard atmospheric pressure and temperature is n = 1.0003 and the index of refraction of the vacuum is n = 1, an exact value.) Consider light from a distant star that grazes the Earth’s atmosphere as sketched in Figure Q26.26. Will the variation of the index of refraction with density cause that light to follow rays that “bend” away from the Earth (ray 1 in the figure) or bend toward the Earth (ray 3), or will they not be deflected at all? Explain. 


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