When two waves meet in a medium, there is a net effect on the particles in the medium, known as interference.Ĭonstructive Interference : If the two waves are causing a displacement in the same direction, constructive interference occurs. The principle of refraction is used, for example, in making lenses for cameras, eyeglasses, and refracting telescopes. The combination of the refraction of sunlight as it enters a water droplet and then it is reflected off the back of the droplet and refracted back out the drop causes the sunlight to split into its various wavelengths and produce a rainbow or spectrum of color. This phenomenon causes objects in water to appear to be bent when light passes from air through water. This causes the wave to bend toward the denser medium if it is moving at a non-perpendicular angle to the boundary. The speed of a wave changes when a wave crosses from one medium to another. NASA used the reflection of laser lights to map the surface of the Moon. Hitting a fixed barrier, a wave will reverse and reflect inverted while hitting a movable end, the wave will not invert.Įxamples of reflected waves are light waves reflecting off a telescope mirror or sonar produced sound waves that reflect off objects and identify their shape. One characteristic of waves is the Law of Reflection: the angle at which the wave approaches a flat, reflective surface is equal to the angle at which the wave leaves the surface. When a wave strikes a boundary, it makes an abrupt change of direction, which depends upon the angle the wave strikes, but the speed of the wave is not changed. Reflection is the ability of a wave to bounce back, but not be absorbed. This phenomenon is known as the Doppler effect. Whenever the source of a wave is moving in relationship to the observer, there is an apparent shift in the wave’s frequency. If the two waves are causing a displacement in opposite directions, the result is destructive interference.Īll objects have one or more frequencies, or resonant frequencies, where the amplitude of oscillation is very large. If the two waves are causing a displacement in the same direction, the result is constructive interference. When two waves meet, there is a net effect known as interference. This wave behavior is known as refraction.ĭiffraction is when a wave spreads or bends as it moves around the edge of an obstacle. This causes the wave to bend towards the denser medium if it is moving at a non-perpendicular angle to the boundary. This is called reflection.Īs a wave crosses from one medium to another, the apparent speed of the wave changes. This is called the superposition of waves.Īs a wave strikes a boundary, it makes an abrupt change of direction, which depends upon the angle the wave strikes. Unlike matter, two or more waves can occupy the same place at the same time.
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