Wave Behaviour (Oxford AQA IGCSE Combined Science Double Award)
Revision Note
Wave Behaviour
When a wave reaches a boundary between two materials, the wave may be:
Reflected
Transmitted
Absorbed
A boundary is the surface at which two substances meet
For example:
Air and water
Glass and air
Glass and water
In reality, waves usually undergo a combination of reflection, transmission and absorption
Reflection
Reflection occurs when:
A wave hits a boundary between two media and does not pass through, but instead stays in the original medium
If the incident wavefronts are parallel to the boundary, then the wave will be reflected parallel to the boundary
Parallel reflection
If the incident wavefronts hit the boundary at an angle, then the angle of incidence will be equal to the angle of reflection
Reflection at an angle
Transmission
Transmission occurs when:
A wave passes through a substance
For the process to count as transmission, the wave must pass through the material and emerge from the other side
Refraction is a type of transmission
When passing through a material, waves are usually partially absorbed
The transmitted wave may have a lower amplitude because of some absorption
For example, sound waves are quieter after they pass through a wall
Transmission of a wave
Absorption
Absorption occurs when:
Energy is transferred by the wave to the particles of a substance
Waves can be partially or completely absorbed
Sound waves are absorbed by brick or concrete in houses
If an object appears red, this means:
Only red light has been reflected
All the other frequencies of visible light have been absorbed
Absorption of light
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