Waves at a boundary Flashcards
1
Q
State what property of a wave always stays the same when it travels from one medium to another
A
frequency
2
Q
State the law of reflection
A
angle of incidence = angle of reflection
3
Q
Describe what happens when waves are transmitted at a boundary between two substances
A
they carry on moving at a different speed
4
Q
Describe what happens when waves are absorbed by a substance
A
energy of the wave is transferred to energy stores of the substance
5
Q
Define the term refraction
A
waves change speed and direction as they cross the boundary from one substance to another due to the change in velocity
6
Q
Describe what happens to the direction of a refracted EM wave when it slows down as it crosses the boundary from one substance to another
A
bends towards the normal
