Reflection, Refraction, Dispersion, and Diffraction Flashcards
Reflection
a ray of light of sound bounces off new medium and travels back through original medium at the same but opposite orientation
Refraction
Light waves or sound travel through new medium. Speed is unique to medium traveled through
c=3 x 10^8 m/s
Refractive index
n=c/v c= speed of light in a vacuum v= speed of light in the medium n>1 always for medium except: nair=1 nwater=1.33
Snell’s law
N1sin=N2sin
angle of refraction> angle of incidence (light bend away from normal and travels faster)
when light travels into a material with a higher index, it bends towards the normal
When hitting at a zero degree angle…
There is no bend of the object in the new medium
Light bending
toward= lifeguard runs along sand then into water at angle
V=lamda*f
frequency is always constant when moving between medium
Critical angle
Angle of refraction of 90 degrees
Total internal reflection
light is traveling from a material with a high n toward a material with a lower n
-the angle of incidence is relatively large
Red light
long wave length, does not change speed or bend as much when passes into a new medium compared to shorter wave lengths like violet
Dispersion
light passing through a prism are broken up and dispersed into their wavelength (create rainbow)
Diffraction
Waves encounter a barrier with a small hole/opening
-wave through opening go through and others go back
Constructive interference
waves that are parallel are amplified and become greater (peaks)
Destructive interference
waves that cancel out and have a smaller amplitude
Single-silt defraction
light = maxima (constructive) dark = minima (destructive)
