Wave Properties

By : Kara Dixon

Reflection

The angles are always measured with respect to the normal to the surface.

The law of reflection is also consistent with the particle picture of light.

Angle of Incidence is always equal to the angle of Reflection.

67 degrees incidence is equal to 67 degrees reflection, 45 = 45, 37 = 37

                                            

    

WHEN A LIGHT RAY REFLECTS OFF THE SURFACE OF A MIRROR IT FOLLOWS A PATH SIMILAR TO A BEHAVIOR TO A POOL BALL BOUNCING

OFF OF A CUSHION ON A POOL TABLE.

THE WAVE REFLECTED FROM THE SURFACE FORMS AN ANGLE EQUAL TO THE ONE FORMED BY ITS PATH.

REFLECTION IS DEFINED AS THE BOUNCING BACK OF A RAY OF LIGHT INTO THE SAME MEDIUM.

Reflection

Refraction The bending of light as

it passes between materials, such as solid, liquids, gases.

The more dense the material, the slower the speed of light in that material.

The frequency of light does not change when it passes from one medium to another.

REFRACTION IS THE BENDING OF LIGHT RAYS WHEN PASSING FROM ONE TRANSPARENT MATERIAL TO ANOTHER.

THE AMOUNT OF BENDING DEPENDS ON THE INDICES OF REFRACTION OF THE TWO MEDIA.

A GREAT EXAMPLE IS PLACING A PENCIL IN A CLEAR GLASS OF WATER.

Refraction

Refraction by Dispersion

Rainbows are caused by a combination of the refraction of light as it bends twice, once going in(slows down), and once going out(speeds up.) Raindrops act like prisms.

Light is composed of waves of different wavelengths that correspond to different colors of lights, giving us the colors of the rainbow (ROYGBIV)

Diffraction

This is the bending of light waves around obstacles in its path.

Ex. Owls for instance are able to communicate across long distances due to the fact that their long-wavelength hoots are able to diffract around forest trees.

A great example is a shadow.

DIFFRACTION IS THE BENDING OF LIGHT WAVES AROUND OBSTACLES IN ITS PATH.

DIFFRACTION LIMITS THE RESOLVING POWER OF MICROSCOPES AND OTHER MAGNIFYING DEVICES.

IF THE OBJECT BEING USED IS SMALLER THAN THE WAVELENGTH OF LIGHT, THEN THE LIGHT DIFFRACTS AROUND THE OBJECT.

Diffraction

Constructive Interference Constructive interference

also occurs when the trough of one wave is super positioned upon the trough of another wave, or when a wave overtakes another and builds on it.

Ex. Band players do not need microphones when playing instruments together.

Destructive InterferenceWhen the crest of one

wave passes through, or is super positioned upon, the trough of another wave, we say that the waves destructively interfere.

Ex.

TransmissionIs the passage of EM

wave through a medium.

If the light reflected from objects did not pass though the air, windows, or most of the eye, we could not see the objects.

Absorption Is the disappearance

of and EM wave into the medium.

Affects how things look, because it limits the light available to be reflected or transmitted,