Refractive index

The refractive index is quoted for the gas or vapour state at 273 K/760 mm Hg for the sodium yellow d-line at 589.3 nm.

Image showing periodicity of the chemical elements for refractive index in a bar chart.
Image showing periodicity of the chemical elements for refractive index in a bar chart.

Units

dimensionless

Notes

Air has a refractive index of 1.000292 under these conditions.

Water vapour has a refractive index of 1.000256 under these conditions.

Literature sources

  1. G.V. Samsonov (Ed.) in Handbook of the physicochemical properties of the elements, IFI-Plenum, New York, USA, 1968.
  2. A.M. James and M.P. Lord in Macmillan's Chemical and Physical Data, Macmillan, London, UK, 1992.
  3. G.W.C. Kaye and T.H. Laby in Tables of physical and chemical constants, Longman, London, UK, 15th edition, 1993.
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*Lanthanoids *
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**Actinoids **
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