Physics Wave test
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lsteiner13 on March 4, 2012
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6 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 law of reflection | when a wave hits a boundary at any angle, the wave will reflect from the boundary. If a line is drawn normal to the boundary, the angle of incidence os the angle between the incoming wave and that normal line. The angle of reflection will be equal to but in the opposite direction from the normal line as the angle of incidence |
| refraction | when a wave encounters a new medium, part of the wave will be transmitted into the new medium. However, its velocity will change as will its direction if the wave enters the medium at angle other than perpendicular |
| diffraction | waves will bend around obstacles in their path. The amount by which they bend depends on both the length of the wave and the size of the obstacle |
| when a wave encounters a less dense medium | part of the wave will be reflected in phase with the incident wave, and part will be transmitted. the transmitted part will have greater velocity |
| when a wave encounters a more dense medium | the reflected portion will be out of phase with the incident wave and the transmitted portion will have a slower velocity. |
| when the circular wave moves away from its source | the amplitude decreases. the farther away from the source, the broader the wave front will be. Consequently, the numbers of particles transferring the same amount of energy will increase. This decreases the proportion of energy each oscillating particle carries |
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