11.3 Reflection and refraction Flashcards
All waves can be…
reflected and refracted
When does reflection occur?
Reflection occurs when a wave changes direction at a boundary between two different media, remaining in the original medium
In what cases does the law of reflection apply?
Whenever waves are reflected, the angle of incidence = angle of reflection
When waves are reflected…
their wavelength and frequency do not change.
When does refraction occur?
When a wave changes direction as it changes speed when it enters a medium with a different optical density.
When does partial reflection occur?
Whenever a wave refracts there is always some reflection off the surface.
Explain what happens when a light ray enters water
As water is more optically dense than air, the light way will slow down and refract towards the normal.
Sound waves…
normally speed up when they enter a denser medium, whereas em waves, like light, normally slow down.
When circular waves reflect off surfaces, what happens?
Their wavelength and frequency remain the same.
Refraction does have an effect on…
…the wavelength of the wave, but not its frequency. If the waves slows down, its wavelength decreases and the frequency remains unchanged.
