Reflection and refraction Flashcards Preview

Phisics, Unit 1, P1 > Reflection and refraction > Flashcards

Flashcards in Reflection and refraction Deck (7)
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0
Q

What does refract mean?

A

refract means when something changes direction when it comes to different densities. If a wave meets a different medium at an angle, it will change its direction.

1
Q

What does reflect mean?

A

Reflecting is when for example you can sometimes see your refection in a puddle: the light is reflected off of the puddle and into your eyes. with waves, this is when a wave hits a boundary between one medium and another when it’s energy is reflected.

2
Q

Describe how to draw a normal line.

A

The normal is drawn at a 90 degrees line to the object.

3
Q

Why does a light ray change direction?

A

A light ray would change direction because when the light passes from two different mediums (for example: from low density to a high medium), the light ray will slow down. This causes the light ray to bend toward the normal. If the light ray travels from a denser medium to a less dense medium, it will bend away from the normal.

4
Q

How does density affect the speed of a beam of light?

A

Density affects the speed of the light ray because light waves move much slower through denser mediums and faster through less dense mediums.

5
Q

Describe how you can tell if an image is real.

A

You can tell if an image is real because you can put a real image on a screen.

6
Q

What type of images can’t be shown on screens?

A

Virtual images:
Your reflection
An image through a magnifying glass.