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It’s the change in direction of a wave due to a change in its medium. It is essentially a surface phenomenon. This is most commonly observed when a wave passes from one medium to another at any angle other than 90° or 0°. (#6.)
Explanation:

Wiki MarkupRefraction of [light|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light] is the most commonly observed phenomenon, but any type of wave can refract when it interacts with a medium, for example when [sound waves|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_wave] pass from one medium into another or when water waves move into water of a different depth\[1\]. With light, the speed in transparent medium is lower than in vacuum since light can travel in vacuum and doesn’t need a medium to Refraction of light is the most commonly observed phenomenon, but any type of wave can refract when it interacts with a medium, for example when sound waves pass from one medium into another or when water waves move into water of a different depth(#6.). With light, the speed in transparent medium is lower than in vacuum since light can travel in vacuum and doesn’t need a medium to travel.

We characterize the transparent medium by its Index of Refraction, defined as the ratio of the speed of light c in vacuum to the speed on light in the medium:
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n=c/v    v    (index of refraction)      eq….1  \[2\]refraction)      eq….1 (#7.)

n is always 1 or greater depending upon the medium. The index of refraction for some familiar substances:

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<ac:structured-macro ac:name="anchor" ac:schema-version="1" ac:macro-id="27feb0f6308e8db0-2ebd7576-4f73486b-ae88b2d5-42b9176b592d37dfa3ba5d20"><ac:parameter ac:name="">3.</ac:parameter></ac:structured-macro> 3. _Reflection and Its Importance_. (n.d.).  Retrieved December 10, 2012, from Physics Classroom: \[http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/refln/u13l1c.cfm\]

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6. Refraction. (2012, December 6). Retrieved December 10, 2012, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refraction^{Image Removed}

1.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refraction

7. Wolfson, R. (2007). Essential University Physics (First ed., Vol. 2). San Francisco, California, United States of America: Pearson Education Inc.2.Essential University Physics/Richard Wolfson---Volume 2

3.http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geoopt/refr2.html#c1

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