waves at interfaces Flashcards
What is an interface?
Where two different things meet.
What is a reflection?
When a wave bounces off a surface (eg. light).
What is a refraction?
When a wave changes direction because it changes speed.
What is absorption?
When a wave transfers it’s energy to a surface and doesn’t leave.
What is the normal?
An imaginary line 90^o to the surface.
What is the incident ray?
The ray of light that bounces off the surface
What is the reflective ray?
The ray of light that bounces off the surface.
What is the refractive ray?
The ray of light that continues into the object but changes direction.
what is the incident angle?
the angle between the reflected ray and the normal
what is the angle of reflection?
the angle between the reflected ray and the normal
what is the angle of refraction?
the angle between the refracted ray and the normal
what is the rule for reflection?
the angle of incidence = the angle of reflection
what’s the rule for refraction?
light bends towards the normal when it slows doe and away from the normal when it speeds up
waves on water go ______ if the water is deeper
faster
waves on water go _______ if the water is shallower
slower
