Refractive Index of Different Gases
The refractive index is a measure of how much light is bent when it passes through a material. Gases have refractive indices that are close to 1, but they can vary depending on the type of gas and its density.
The following table provides a comprehensive list of refractive index values for different gases, taken at 0°C (32°F) and wavelength (λ) of 589 nm.
| Acetylene | 1.000606 |
| Air | 1.000293 |
| Ammonia | 1.000374 |
| Argon | 1.000281 |
| Boron trifluoride | 1.000379 |
| Carbon dioxide | 1.000452 |
| Carbon monoxide | 1.000482 |
| Carbonyl sulfide | 1.001476 |
| Chlorine | 1.000772 |
| Cyanogen | 1.000834 |
| Deuterium | 1.000127 |
| Dimethyl ether | 1.000891 |
| Ethane | 1.000753 |
| Ethylene | 1.000696 |
| Fluorine | 1.000195 |
| Helium | 1.000036 |
| Hydrogen | 1.000138 |
| Hydrogen bromide | 1.000140 |
| Hydrogen chloride | 1.000447 |
| Hydrogen iodide | 1.000906 |
| Hydrogen sulfide | 1.000630 |
| Krypton | 1.000427 |
| Methane | 1.000444 |
| Neon | 1.000067 |
| Nitric oxide | 1.000297 |
| Nitrogen | 1.000297 |
| Nitrous oxide | 1.000516 |
| Oxygen | 1.000272 |
| Sulfur Dioxide | 1.000686 |
| Sulfur hexafluoride | 1.000783 |
| Sulfur trioxide | 1.000737 |
| Xenon | 1.000642 |
The refractive index of gases can vary with factors such as temperature, wavelength of light, and impurities.
Related Tables
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017.