Wave Interactions & Wavelength Flashcards

All 4 cards in this deck

How do the absorption, transmission, refraction and reflection of waves depend on wavelength?

They vary with wavelength — the same substance can affect different wavelengths in different ways.

How does a red filter act on the different wavelengths of white light?

It transmits red light and absorbs the other wavelengths.

Why can a glass prism split white light into a spectrum?

Different wavelengths are refracted (bent) by different amounts in the glass.

True or false? A material that is transparent to visible light must transmit all other wavelengths too.

False. Glass transmits visible light but absorbs much of the infrared and ultraviolet.