Reflection and Refraction
reflection and refraction with light
- Created by: Chloe
- Created on: 06-03-13 12:14
REFLECTION
- When a wave hits a boundary between to different mediums some of its energy is reflected.- why you can see your reflection in a puddle.
- The angle of reflection is the same as the angle of incidence
- The light is reflected because of the change in density - water is denser than air. Whenever a wave hits a medium with a different density some of the wave is reflected at the boundary.- This is how ultrasound scanning works: different body tissues have different densities.
REFRACTION
- waves travel at different speeds in different densities. EM waves travel more slowly in denser media (usually)
- when a wave hits a boundary from glass to air it changes speed.
If a wave hits a boundary straight on it doesnt change direction but at an angle and the wave is refracted. The light bends toward the normal as it enters and away as it leaves.
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