PES Unit 6 Notes 3

Reflection

• occurs when a wave meets a boundary

• When a wave changed direction

• the bouncing back of a wave when it meets another surface or boundary

Example:

The light waves can create a mirror image of a landscape when they it the surface of a lake.

Refraction

• The bending of a wave when it passes from one medium to another

• This occurs because each medium changes the speed of the wave

Diffraction

The spreading of waves when they pass through an opening or around obstacles. This effect is more pronounced when the size of the opening or obstacle is comparable to the wavelength of the wave. Wave bends around the edge.

Interference

• When several waves are in the same location, they combine to produced a single, new wave that is different from the original wave.

• Once the wave has passed through each other, they will return to their original shapes.

Constructive Interference

The crests of two waves overlap and increase the amplitude.

Original Waves continue on after interfering with one another

Destructive Interference

occurs when the crest of one wave overlaps with the trough of another, resulting in a reduction in amplitude.

Standing Waves

A wave pattern that results from the interference of two waves traveling in opposite directions, characterized by fixed nodes and antinodes.

Doppler Effect

The change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the wave source.