15.3 Refraction of Waves Flashcards
1
Q
What is refraction?
A
The way the wave changes direction as it enters a different medium
2
Q
What changes during refraction except direction of travel?
A
The wave speed and wavelength
3
Q
What doesn’t change during this process?
A
The frequency of the wave
4
Q
What happens when we enter a more optically dense material ?
A
The wave slows down and bends towards the normal
5
Q
What happens when we enter a less optically dense material?
A
The wave speeds up and bends away from the normal
6
Q
How does the wavelength change?
A
In the same manner as the speed
7
Q
What are the two rules for refraction?
A
- Both rays (incidence and refracted ray) lie in a plane perpendicular to surface (normal)
- Snells Law: The ratio of sine of both i and r angles is constant for rays of a particular wavelength
