Which factor influences the amount of bending light experiences as it passes from one medium to another?

The amount of bending that light experiences when it passes from one medium to another is primarily determined by the index of refraction of the materials involved. The index of refraction is a measure of how much the speed of light is reduced in a particular medium compared to its speed in a vacuum. When light transitions between two different media, such as air to water or glass, the difference in their indices of refraction determines how much the light ray bends at the interface.

When light enters a medium with a higher index of refraction, it slows down and bends toward the normal (the imaginary line perpendicular to the surface). Conversely, when light moves into a medium with a lower index of refraction, it speeds up and bends away from the normal. The amount of bending can be quantitatively described using Snell's Law, which relates the angles of incidence and refraction to the indices of refraction of the two media.

While factors such as the color of the light (which can affect its index of refraction slightly, leading to dispersion) and the angle of incidence can influence how we perceive the bending behavior of light, the fundamental factor that governs the amount of bending is the index of refraction. The temperature of the medium can also have some effects