18 flashcards · Shared on 19 August 2026 by AtomAI Library
Flip each card to check yourself.
What is reflection of a wave?
The wave changes direction at a boundary and remains in the original medium
What is reflection of a wave?
The wave changes direction at a boundary and remains in the original medium
According to the law of reflection, how are the angles of incidence and reflection related?
The angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence
From which line are the angles of incidence and reflection measured?
The normal to the boundary
What is refraction?
The change in direction of a wave caused by a change in speed at a boundary
A light ray enters a medium in which it travels more slowly. How does it usually bend?
Towards the normal
Which property of a wave stays constant when it crosses into a different medium?
Frequency
Light enters a medium where its speed decreases. What happens to its wavelength?
It decreases
Which equation defines the refractive index n of a material?
n = c/v
When can total internal reflection occur?
When light travels from a more optically dense medium to a less optically dense medium at a sufficiently large angle of incidence
What is the critical angle?
The angle of incidence for which the refracted ray travels along the boundary
Which statement applies to every electromagnetic wave?
It is transverse and can travel through a vacuum
What is the speed of electromagnetic waves in a vacuum, to two significant figures?
3.0 × 10^8 m/s
Which sequence lists electromagnetic waves in order of increasing frequency?
Radio, microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-ray, gamma
As the frequency of an electromagnetic wave increases in a vacuum, what happens to its wavelength?
It decreases
Which region of the electromagnetic spectrum is commonly used in thermal imaging?
Infrared
Why are microwaves suitable for communication with satellites?
They can pass through the atmosphere and carry information
Which electromagnetic wave is commonly used to produce images of broken bones?
X-rays
Which statement correctly describes a hazard of high-frequency electromagnetic radiation?
Ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays can damage living cells