Phys Vocab 9

Closed-pipe Resonator

A resonating tube with one end closed to air; its resonant frequencies are odd-numbered multiples of the fundamental.

Concave Lens

Diverging it is thinner at its middle than at its edges, that spreads out light rays passing through it when surrounded by material with a lower index of refraction; produces a smaller, virtual, upright image.

Concave Mirror

Reflects light from its inwardly curving surface and can produce either an upright, virtual image or an inverted, real image.

Convex Lens

Usually made of glass, thicker at its center than at its edges, that refracts parallel light rays so the rays meet at a point when surrounded by material with a lower index of refraction; can produce a smaller, inverted, real image, or a larger, upright, virtual image.

Convex Mirror

It reflects light from its outwardly curving surface and produces an upright, reduced, virtual image.

Focal Point

The place where incident light rays that are parallel to the principal axis converge after reflecting from the mirror.

Index of Refraction

For a medium, is the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in that medium.

Open-pipe Resonator

A resonating tube with both ends open that also will resonate with a sound source; its resonant frequencies are whole-number multiples of the fundamental.

Snell’s Law of Refraction

States that the product of the index of refraction of a medium and the sine of the angle of incidence equals the product of the index of refraction of a second medium and the sine of the angle of refraction.

Total Internal Reflection

Occurs when light traveling through an area with a higher index of refraction to an area with a lower index of refraction hits a boundary at an angle that exceeds the critical angle and all light reflects back into the area with the higher index of refraction.