In the next chapter, Eq. (4.47), we€™ll see that a substance reflects radiant energy appreciably when its index differs most from the medium in which it is embedded.

(a) The dielectric constant of ice measured at microwave frequencies is roughly 1, whereas that for water is about 80 times greater€”why?

(b) How is it that a radar beam easily passes through ice but is considerably reflected when encountering a dense rain?

, ; [Jo,==o = [-r, lo,=o (4.47) n, + n;