Refraction & Speed Flashcards

All 4 cards in this deck

What causes a wave to refract at a boundary?

A change in the speed of the wave as it enters a different substance.

Which way does a wave bend when it slows down on entering a new substance?

Towards the normal.

What happens to the wavelength of a wave that slows down as it crosses into a new substance?

The wavelength decreases (the frequency stays the same).

When a wave meets a boundary at an angle, how does the size of its change in speed affect how much it refracts?

A larger change in speed makes the wave bend through a larger angle.