That is because the light's SPEED decreases. Also, because the frequency doesn't change. As a reminder, the wavelength is equal to the speed of the wave, divided by the frequency.
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When light enters a denser medium, its speed decreases due to interactions with the medium's particles. This change in speed causes the frequency of the light to remain constant but the wavelength to decrease, following the equation v = fλ, where v is the speed of light, f is the frequency, and λ is the wavelength.
A decrease in velocity of the waves will cause a decrease in frequency and a decrease in wavelength as the waves enter shallow water. This is due to the relationship between velocity, frequency, and wavelength which is defined by the equation: velocity = frequency x wavelength.
When waves enter a denser medium at an angle, they undergo refraction. This means the wave changes direction depending on the change in speed caused by the change in medium density. The angle of refraction depends on the angle of incidence and the refractive indices of the two media.
Light slows down when it enters a denser medium due to increased interactions with the molecules in the medium. This slowing causes the light waves to bend away from the normal line to maintain the same frequency and to obey the law of conservation of energy.
Light waves slow down when they enter a new medium because they interact with the atoms or molecules in the medium, causing them to be absorbed and re-emitted. This process delays the wave propagation, resulting in a decrease in speed.
The change in speed of a wave as it enters a new medium results in a change in its wavelength and possibly its direction. This phenomenon is known as refraction, which occurs due to the difference in the speed of the wave in the two different mediums.