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