wave behaviour at boundaries Flashcards
what happens when a wave is absorbed
the wave transfers energy to the materials energy store
what happens if the frequency of light matches the energy levels of the electrons
the light will be absorbed by the elections and not re emitted
then re emitted over time as heat
what happens if a wave is transmitted
waves continue travelling through the material
what does transmission lead to
refraction
what happens as the material is more transparent
more light passes through the material
what happens when a wave is reflected
is “sent back” from the material (eg: echo)
the smoother the surface…
the stronger the reflected wave is
what is the law of reflection
angle of incidence = angle of reflection
what is speculation reflection
smooth surfaces create strong reflected raus in one direction
what is diffuse reflection
rough surfaces generate multiple reflective rays in multiple directions
what is refraction
change in speed and sometimes direction of a wave as it lives from one medium to another
what happens when EM waves enter denser mediums
slow down
what happens when sound waves enter denser mediums
travel faster
how are light rays refracted
Fast when it moves
Away from normal
Slower when it moves
Towards normal
