How do waves interact?

Reflection

Reflection: Happens when a wave bounces back after hitting a barrier.

How we see light! The object reflects light of the color seen

Sound, light, and water waves can all be reflected: Sound: Echo Light: How we see the planets and Moon. The

planets reflect the light of the sun.

Absorption and Scattering

Absorption: The transfer of light energy of particles of matter.

Scattering: An interaction of light with matter that causes light to change its energy, direction of motion, or both

Picture on 646

Refraction

Refraction: The bending of a wave as the wave passes between two substances in which the speed of the wave differs. Moves from one medium to another. The wave speed

changes, therefore the wavelength changes.

Rainbows: Occur because sunlight is refracted through water droplets. The colors occur because the different colors in sunlight is refracted by different amounts, and spread out into different colors.

Diffraction

Diffraction: A change in the direction of a wave when the waves finds an obstacle, edge, such as an opening. Light: Long wavelengths, don’t diffract very

much. Sound: Shot wavelengths, easily diffracted.

Interference

Interference: The result of two or more waves overlapping. Constructive: When

the crest or troughs of two waves overlap and creates a bigger wave, with a larger amplitude.

Destructive: Crest of one wave and the trough of another wave overlap. This results in no wave at all.