Wave Properties of Light

Important Vocabulary

Reflection

Refraction

Diffraction

What do you see? Why?

MirageOccurs when a layer of hot air

lies right above the ground.

Light can move through hot air faster than through colder air above

This causes a bending of light rays, refracted images of objects can be seen

Refraction

Refraction: bending of waves caused by a change in

their speed when they move from one medium to another

Amount of bending depends on the speeds of light in both materials

The greater the difference in speed of light in the 2 materials, the more the light is bent

Examples: Sparkling diamond

ReflectionReflection occurs when a wave

strikes an object and bounces off

Occurs with all types of waves (electromagnetic, sound, water)

The beam that bounces off the mirror is called the reflected beam

Diffraction and InterferenceDiffraction: bending of waves around a barrier

Electromagnetic Waves, sound and water can all be diffracted

Water – bend around you as your swim

Important in the transfer of radio waves

Longer radio waves (AM radio stations) easier to diffract than FM