4/25 Wave Behavior / Interactions Guided Notes

Friday, April 17, 2020 9:47 AM

Use this video presentation to help you: Wave Behaviors PPt from Virtual Learning. Please note that
the video makes references to activities we did during virtual learning.
Recap:
1. What are the high points on a wave called? crest

2. What are the low points on a wave called? trough

3. Upon what characteristics does the speed of a wave depend? Wavelength and frequency.

Propagation:
4. What does it mean to say that a wave “propagates”?
To spread out or grow from their source

5. Why do waves propagate?

This is because of connections between the particles in the wave medium.

6. Briefly describe how a wave propagates in water.

Waves propagate in water by a disturbance in one place that causes a disturbance in the adjacent
matter.

Reflection:

7. Examine the picture. What does reflection cause a wave to do?

It causes the wave to change direction and/or shape.

8. What does the wave encounter in order for reflection to occur?

A boundary

9. Explain one way that reflection is useful in everyday life.

Convex reflectors are used to provide greater blind spot views for bus drivers.

Refraction.
10. When does refraction occur?
When a wave changed speed at a boundary.

11. Examine the picture. Why is the real position of the fish different from where the fish appears to be to the
fisherman?
The light waves are going from air to water, so the fish appears in a different position that it was.

12. Refraction occurs when a wave changes medium. For example, when light waves move from the sun to
the water. Why would this be the case?
This would be the case because the mediums in the wave differ in density. Thus the ending result will be
different from the objects original position.

13. How is refraction useful in everyday life?

Refraction is useful in everyday life because high frequency sound waves are reflected and refracted to
detect changes in tissue such as in ultrasounds. Ultrasounds are a perfect example as these sound
waves are reflected and refracted through the different mediums it goes through and then are recorded.

Diffraction.
14. What is diffraction?
Diffraction is a property of a wave that allows them to bend around obstacles and pass through gaps.

15. Describe how the diagram below is showing diffraction of a wave.

The wave is straight until it goes through the hole and is diffracted.
Diffraction often changes the direction and the shape of the wave.

16. When I am in my kitchen, I can hear my daughter talking to me while she is in another room but I can’t see
her. If sound and light waves are both diffracted, why can I hear her but I can’t see her?
You can hear her because she is producing sound waves, but the daughter does not produce any light
waves which is why you can hear her voice and her sound waves but not see her through the light aves
that she doesn't produce.

17. How is diffraction useful in everyday life?

Diffraction is useful in everyday life as it allows one to see and hear things from further distances and if
there are certain obstacles put up.

Absorption.

18. What can happen when a wave encounters certain types of matter?
When a wave encounters certain types of matter sometimes, some of its energy is transformed into other
forms of energy. This is called absorption.

19. Why is it technically not appropriate to say that energy is “lost” through wave absorption? What would be
more appropriate to say instead of saying that energy is “lost”?
 It is technically not appropriate to say that energy is lost through wave absorption because the energy is
actually being transformed into other forms of energy and is not being "lost". Something that is more
appropriate to say instead of energy being lost is the energy is being transformed.

20. How is absorption useful in everyday life?

Thick, heavy curtains are often used in theaters to absorb sound waves from backstage. Another
example is tinted glassed in sunglasses that absorb some of the suns rays while some likfht can still
get through so you can see.