Which path is followed by light while travel-ling in a medium?

Options

A. Circular
B. Parabolic
C. Rectilinear
D. Cylindrical

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding the Nature of Light:**
- Light is known to travel in a straight line. This is a fundamental property of light that we learn from a young age.

2. **Defining a Medium:**
- A medium is any substance through which light can travel. Common examples include air, water, and glass.

3. **Light Traveling in a Medium:**
- When light travels through a medium (like air or glass), it continues to follow its straight-line path. This is known as rectilinear propagation.

4. **Refraction Phenomenon:**
- When light passes from one medium to another (for example, from air into glass), it may bend at the interface between the two. This bending of light is called refraction.
- However, even when light bends, it still travels in straight lines within each medium.

5. **Conclusion:**
- Therefore, the path followed by light while traveling in a medium is straight, which can be referred to as rectilinear propagation.

**Final Answer:**
The path followed by light while traveling in a medium is a straight line (rectilinear propagation).

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