1. Section 3: Wave Interactions
Preview
Key Ideas
Bellringer
Reflection, Diffraction, and Refraction
Interference
Standing Waves

2. Key Ideas
How do waves behave when they hit a boundary, when they pass around an edge or opening, and when they pass from one medium to another?
What happens when two waves are in the same location?
How are standing waves formed?

3. Bellringer Why do we see rainbows on rainy days?
a. When you throw a ball against a wall, what happens to the ball?
b. When light waves hit a barrier, what happens to the light waves?
3. When two objects meet, share the same space, and overlap with each other, what is it called?

4. Reflection, Diffraction, and Refraction
How do waves behave when they hit a boundary, when they pass around an edge or opening, and when they pass from one medium to another?
When a wave meets a surface or a boundary, the wave bounces back. When a wave passes the edge of an object or passes through an opening, the wave bends. A wave also bends when it passes from one medium to another at an angle.

5. Reflection Reflection occurs when a wave meets a boundary.
reflection: the bouncing back of a ray of light, sound, or heat when the ray hits a surface that it does not go through
Examples:
The reflection of light waves in a lake can create a mirror image of a landscape.
Water waves are reflected when they hit the side of a boat.

6. Visual Concept: Reflection
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7. Reflection of Light, continued
law of reflection: the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection
angle of reflection: the angle of the light rays reflecting off a surface
angle of incidence: the angle of the light rays striking the surface

8. The Law of Reflection
Figure 20, p. 507
When light hits a smooth surface, the angle of incidence () equals the angle of reflection ( ′).

9. Reflection of Light, continued
Rough surfaces reflect light rays in many directions.
diffuse reflection: the reflection of light in random directions
Smooth surfaces refleclight rays in one direction.
Figure 19 A and B, p. 507

10. Visual Concept: Law of Reflection
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11. Refraction Waves can also bend by refraction.
refraction: the bending of a wavefront as the wavefront passes between two substances in which the speed of the wave differs
All waves are refracted when they pass from one medium to another at an angle.

12. Refraction of Light
What happens to light when it passes from one medium to another medium?
Light waves bend, or refract, when they pass from one transparent medium to another.
Light bends when it changes mediums because the speed of light differs in each medium.

13. Refraction
Figure 28, p. 513

14. Visual Concept: Refraction
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15. Refraction of Light, continued
When light moves from a material in which its speed is higher to a material in which its speed is lower, the ray is bent toward the normal.
If light moves from a material in which its speed is lower to one in which its speed is higher, the ray is bent away from the normal.
Refraction makes objects appear to be in different positions.
Refraction in the atmosphere creates mirages.
mirage: a virtual image caused by light in the atmosphere

16. Refraction

17. Visual Concept: Refraction
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18. Total Internal Reflection

19. Diffraction Diffraction is the bending of waves around an edge.
diffraction: a change in the direction of a wave when the wave finds an obstacle or an edge, such as an opening
Examples:
Water waves diffract around a block in a tank of water.
Sound waves passing through a door diffract.

20. Visual Concept: Diffraction

21. Interference What happens when two waves are in the same location?
When several waves are in the same location, they combine to produce a single, new wave that is different from the original waves. This interaction is called interference.
interference: the combination of two or more waves that results in a single wave

22. Interference, continued
Constructive interference increases amplitude.
constructive interference: a superposition of two or more waves that produces an intensity equal to the sum of the intensities of the individual waves
Destructive interference decreases amplitude.
destructive interference: a superposition of two or more waves that produces an intensity equal to the difference of the intensities of the individual waves

23. Interference, continued

24. Interference, continued
Interference of light waves creates colorful displays.
When two waves of slightly different frequencies interfere with each other, they produce beats.

25. Standing Waves How are standing waves formed?
A standing wave causes the medium to vibrate in a stationary pattern that resembles a loop or a series of loops.
standing wave: a pattern of vibration that simulates a wave that is standing still

26. Standing Waves, continued
Standing waves have nodes and antinodes.
Each loop of a standing wave is separated from the next loop by points that have no vibration, called nodes.
Midway between the nodes lie points of maximum vibration, called antinodes.

27. Visual Concept: Standing Wave
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