Wave Properties Flashcards
What 3 things can be done to all waves?
- Reflection 2. Refraction 3 Diffraction
When do waves reflect, refract, or diffract?
When they arrive at an obstacle (or meet a new material)
What happens when waves arrive at an obstacle (or meet a new material)?
Their direction of travel can be changed (reflection, refraction, diffraction)
What does reflection of light let us do?
See things
Why does reflection of light allow us to see things?
Light bounces off them into our eyes
What happens when light travelling in the same direction reflects from an UNeven surface?
The light reflects off at different angles
What happens when light travelling in the same direction reflects from an EVEN surface?
All the light is reflected at the SAME ANGLE and you get a CLEAR REFLECTION
What is the law of reflection?
Angle of INCIDENCE = Angle of RELFECTION
What is the ‘normal’?
An imaginary line that’s perpendicular to the surface at the point of INCIDENCE
What is the ‘point of incidence’?
Where the light hits the surface (of the thing)
What are the angles of incidence and reflection ALWAYS defined by?
The NORMAL
What must you NEVER label as the angles of incidence and reflection?
The angles between the RAY and the SURFACE
Describe the 5 points about how an image is formed in a plane mirror
- Image size = object size 2. Image distance from mirror = object distance from mirror 3. The image is VIRTUAL 4. The image is UPRIGHT 5. Th image is LATERALLY INVERTED
Draw a ray diagram of an image being formed in a plane mirror and being reflected into an eye
(edit: make reflected rays touch top and bottom of eye)
