REFRACTION

The change in direction of propagation of wave (bending)or the change in speed that occurs when waves (such as light or sound waves) crosses the boundary between the two medium of different density// different depth.

Plane water waves in a ripple tank

A plat piece of plastic/glass makes the water more shallow. This slows the waves down. When they slow, they change direction. This bending effect is called refraction.

 When a wave encounters different depth where the wave speed is different, the wave will change directions. Notice that as the wave fronts cross the boundary the wavelength changes, but the frequency remains constant.

The refraction of water waves occur when the wave move from the different depth of water.
Depth Increase Decrease v Decrease Increase Increase Decrease f constant constant

The direction and the shape of the refracted wave depends on the shape of the boundary of the different depth. shallow (i) shallow (iv)
deep deep deep deep

(ii)

deep

shallow

deep

shallow

(v)

deep

deep

(iii)
deep
shallow

deep

Light waves

In the broken pencil illusion below right the glass block bends the light as it enters and leaves it. The bending effect is called refraction.

The light travels from less dense medium (air) to denser medium (water). Refracted ray bent towards normal line: 2 < 1

Sound wave

During the night time, when the ground cools quickly air near the ground becomes colder than that above. Sound waves travel more slowly through this colder air. So, waves leaving the ground tend to bend back toward its, instead of spreading upwards the bending effect is called refraction.

Question 1 (Conceptualising)

(a)

(b)

The following figure shows a flat piece of plastic makes the water more shallow. a) Observe the figure and state the differences between figure (a) and (b). ___________________________________________________________ [2 marks]

b) Using your answer in (a), state the relationship between the depth and the wavelength. __________________________________________________________ [1 marks]

c) What will happen to the speed, wavelength and frequency when the wave moves from deep region to the shallower water.

(i) Speed :
(ii) frequency : . d) Name the wave phenomenon involve. ___________________________________________________________ [1 mark] [2 marks]

Question 2 (Problem Solving)

Figure (a) and (b) show a tall straight, sided mug and a coin at the bottom.

(a) What would you do to make the coins appear without touching anything.

__________________________________________________________
[1 mark] (a) Draw the ray from coin reach the eye so you can see the image of the coin. [3 marks]

Marking scheme
(1) a. State the differences between figure (a) and (b) wavelength // symbol b. Relate the relationship between depth and wavelength

When depth increases, wavelength increases. // vise versa

c. State the relationship between depth and speed and frequency. (i) decrease (ii) constant

d.

State the name of the phenomenon.

refraction

(2) a.

State the coin appears without touching anything Put water / / any liquid

b.

Draw the ray from eye to the coin.

 What happen when travel light travel from the air and passes through water? What happen when water waves propagates from deeper part to shallower part? What happen when sound travels from higher densities of air to lower densities?