BRAINCAKEReflection and Refraction
A ripple tank can be used to study water waves.A wave can be represented as a series of wavefronts.A wavefront is a line joining points on a wave which are in phase. The distance between wavefronts is equal to the wavelength of the wave. ReflectionReflection occurs when a wave changes direction at a boundary between two media. The wave remains in the original medium. The wavelength and frequency and speed of the wave stay the same. The law of reflection states the angle of incidence = angle of reflectionRefractionRefraction occurs when a wave changes direction at a boundary between two media.
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Key terms in this lesson
- wavelength
- The minimum distance between two points on a wave that are in phase, such as from one peak to the next.
- frequency
- The number of complete oscillations or wavelengths passing a given point per unit time.