4.4 Waves

Question 1

How is a stationary wave formed?

Answer 1

A progressive wave is reflected and the reflected wave superposes the incident wave. The stationary wave formed has nodes and antinodes.
Nodes- where interfence is always destructive
Antinodes- where intereference is always constructive

Question 2

What is the principle of superposition?

Answer 2

when two(or more) waves interact the resultant displacement is the sum of the displacements

Question 3

What is phase difference?

Answer 3

How far “out of step” an oscillation is from the other on the same wave. The difference between displacements of points along a wave.

Question 4

Define total internal reflection

Answer 4

-when all light is reflected back into the original medium when light strikes the boundary at a large angle.

Question 5

Give two conditions of total internal reflection

Answer 5

• the incident wave must travel through a material with a higher refractive index than the one at the boundary.
• the angle of incidence must be greater than the critical angle.

Question 6

What is the critical angle

Answer 6

-the angle where the light refracts along the boundary between two media.

Question 7

state the principal of superposition

Answer 7

when two or more waves intersect the resultant displacement is the sum of individual displacements