Reflection of waves

What 3 things could happen when a wave hits a boundary with a different material e.g. glass?

• Wave is transmitted through the material.

• Energy of wave is absorbed by material.

• Wave may be reflected.

What happens when a wave is transmitted through the material?

The wave does not change.

What can happen to transmitted waves in certain cases?

They can change direction when they pass from one material into another. This is refraction.

What can happen if the energy of a wave passes through a material?

The wave may not pass through the material at all.

What can the surface of a material do?

Transmit, absorb and reflect a wave.

What is the ray that goes towards the material?

Incident ray. Must have an arrow.

What must the incident ray have at right angles to the surface of the mirror?

A dotted normal line.

What do

What is important about the angle of reflection?

It is equal to the angle of incidence.

This is true for all waves.

What would we do differently when trying to find where the image would appear in the mirror?

• Draw a second incident ray from the object and its reflected ray.

• Extend the 2 reflected rays back into the mirror. Where they cross tells us the position of the image.

What is diffuse reflection?

When a wave is reflected in many directions and happens at a rough or uneven surface.