Reflection and Refraction

Reflection and Refraction

1. Waves can be reflected

   • When a wave hits a boundary between one medium and another, some of it's energy is reflected
   • the angle of reflection (r) is the same as the angle of incidence
   • the light is reflected because of the change in density - water is denser in than air in this case. this is usually what happens with waves when they reach a different density, some of the wave is reflected at the boundary, this is how ultrasound scanning works.

2. Waves can be refracted

   • waves travel at different speeds in substances with different densities.
   • EM waves usually travel slower in denser media, sound waves travel faster in denser substances.

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