Topic

Essential Knowledge

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10. Describe the reflection and transmission of one-dimensional waves at a boundary between two
media.
This should include the sketching of incident,
Fixed end
reflected and transmitted waves, and the
transmitted
incident
cases of reflection at free and fixed ends.
The fundamental property that describes a
wave is the frequency of the wave and this
reflected
property does not change upon reflection or
transmission wave speed and wavelength
may change during transmission at a
boundary
When reflection occurs at a fixed end (a rope attached to the wall) the reflected wave is inverted
(this case can be explained by considering Newtons 3rd Law of motion - when the wave pulse
reaches the fixed end it exerts an upward force. The fixed end exerts an equal and opposite --downward --- force on the rope, producing a downward pulse that travels back
When reflection occurs at a free end the reflected wave is not inverted
11. State and apply Snell's law for the Refraction of waves.
When waves are transmitted from one wave medium to another their speed of propagation (wave
speed)will change. When the wave speed changes then we say the wave has been refracted.
Since the frequency of a wave is fundamental to the nature of the wave and does not change as
the wave travels from one medium to another, when the wave speed changes so does the
wavelength (v = f).
If the wave is incident on the boundary at any angle other than head-on, the direction of wave
travel will also change.
Two ways to draw this situation:

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I
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I
r
wavefronts

rays

The incident angle, I, is defined as the angle between the wavefront and the boundary OR the
angle between the ray and the normal to the boundary. Likewise, the refracted angle,r, is defined
as the angle between the wavefront and the boundary OR the angle between the ray and the
normal to the boundary. Looking at the inset diagram above you can verify that no matter which
method is used to represent the wave, we are defining the same angle as the incident angle (or the
refracted angle).

Snells Law relates the incident and refracted angles:

For light, we can define a quantity that describes how light travels through any medium. The index
of refraction, n, is simply the ratio of the speed of light in free space to the speed of light in the
medium. n = c / v Because of the nature of light, this quantity will have values greater than 1 since
the speed of light in free space is the maximum speed that can be attained.
In terms of the index of refraction, Snells Law can be rewritten for light as ni sin i = nr sin r

sin r vr

sin I v I

Study and
Practice
Read pp.
146-150