4.4 Wave Behaviour

Always bring your physics binder,
something to write with, your

CALCULATOR, and laptop to class!
IB Physics
Topic 4:
Waves
4.4 Wave Behaviour
Taught by: Mrs. Player
PPT content modified from Simon Porter

Reflection of Light
mirror
Reflection of Light
normal
mirror
Reflection of Light
Incident ray
normal
mirror
Reflection of Light
Incident ray
normal
Angle of
incidence
i
mirror
Reflection of Light
Incident ray
normal
Angle of
incidence
i
mirror
Law of Reflection Copy this
please!
Incident ray Reflected ray

Angle of normal Angle of
incidence reflection
i r
mirror
angle of incidence (i) = angle of reflection (r)

What colour is a mirror?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yrZpTHBEss
Do the 4.4 Mirror Island Worksheet!
Mirrors on the Moon!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_877313&feature=iv&src_vid=QNP8wy3S_kY&v=dsRsap2_RAc
Refraction!
The coin-in-mug trick!
• Put a cup in front of you
with a coin in it.
• Move your head until the

coin is JUST out of sight.
• Keeping your head still,

and holding onto the cup,
slowly and carefully pour
water into the cup (from
another cup) and watch
the coin appear!
The coin-in-mug trick!
Refraction of Light
Beam of light Beam of light
Glass block Glass block
COPY IN YOUR
BOOK!
Carefully
add these
Refraction
notes to your
diagram. Ray of light
A light ray entering along
the normal continues in a
straight line.
Glass block
Carefully
add these Refraction
notes to your Beam of light
diagram. Light going from air to
glass bends towards the
normal
Glass block
Light going from glass

to air bends away
from the normal
Why does
this
happen?
4.5 min YouTube Video - Refraction

Marching Soldiers!
Refraction
• When a wave changes speed (normally when
entering another medium) it may refract
(change direction).
Ripple Tank
Refraction
Water Waves
• Water waves travel slower in shallower water.
Light Waves
• Light slows down as

it travels from air to
glass/water.
Dispersion of Light – Triangular Prism
Snell’s Law
Learning Objective: State and apply Snell’s law.
• There is a relationship between the speed of

the wave in the two media and the angles of
incidence and refraction.
Ray
i
r
Snell’s Law
θ1
θ2
Snell’s Law
• In the case of light only, this quantity is called the refractive index
(n):
n1sinθ1 = n2sinθ2
θ1
θ2
Snell’s Law
θ1
θ2
Snell’s Law
θ1
θ2
Snell’s Law 
Snell’s Law
• When analyzing light, the refractive index of a
medium is usually given as a ratio of the speed of
light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the
medium:
θ1
θ2
Snell’s Law Question
What is the speed of light in diamond?

What is the speed of light in diamond?

•n = c/v  v = c/n
•v = (3 x 108 m/s) / 2.42
•v = 1.24 x 108 m/s
A ray of light is incident on the surface of a
pond with an angle of incidence of 35°. It bends,
producing an angle of refraction of 25.5°.
Calculate:
(a) the refractive index of the water
(b) the speed of the light in the water
A ray of light is incident on the surface of a pond with
an angle of incidence of 35°. It bends, producing an
angle of refraction of 25.5°. Calculate:
A ray of light is incident on the surface of a pond with
an angle of incidence of 35°. It bends, producing an
angle of refraction of 25.5°. Calculate:
A thin beam of light, incident on the flat surface of a block
of glass, makes an angle of 30° with the surface of the glass
as shown in the diagram. If the refractive indices of the air
and glass are 1 and 1.5 respectively, calculate:
(a) the angle of incidence of the light beam
(b) the angle of refraction of the light beam.
(c) the angle with which the beam of light emerges from the
other side of the glass block.
•the angle of incidence = the angle between the incident ray and
the normal
• 90° – 30° = 60°
Light strikes the flat surface of a diamond at an
angle of 40 to the diamond’s surface.
If the refractive index of the diamond is 2.42,
what is the angle of refraction?
Light strikes the flat surface of a diamond at an angle of
40 to the diamond’s surface.
If the refractive index of the diamond is 2.42, what is the
angle of refraction?
Careful! If the angle between the ray and the diamond’s
surface is 40°, then the angle of incidence is 50°.
An underwater diver shines a flashlight up onto
the surface of the water of refractive index n =
1.33. What is the angle of refraction when the
angle of incidence is equal to:
(a) 40°
(b) 45°

(a) 40°
(a) 40°
(b) 45°

(b) 45°

Refraction – Reminders
The wavelength changes, the speed
changes, but the frequency stays the same!
Refraction – Reminders
When the light ray enters at 90° (normal), no
change of direction takes place.
Do the 4.4 Refraction Worksheet!
Do the “4.4 Measuring Refractive
Index” Practical!
Reflected Ray Refracted Ray
θr
θi
Incident Ray
Reflected Ray Refracted Ray
θr
θi
Move Incident Ray

Reflected Ray
Refracted Ray
θr
θi
Move Incident Ray

Reflected Ray Critical Angle?
Refracted Rays – Dispersion
θi
Move Incident Ray

Reflected Ray
Critical Angle
Refracted Ray
θr = 90º
Critical Angle θc
• The critical angle (θc) is
Copy!
the angle of incidence
that produces an angle of
refraction of 90º.
Incident Ray
• This is called total
internal reflection.
Critical Angle (C)
• sinθ1/sinθ2 = n2/n1
• sinθi/sinθr = n2/n1
• At the critical angle (θi = θc), θr = 90˚, thus sinθr =
1
• sinθc = n2/n1, which equals 1/n1 if the light is going
into air/vacuum
Examples of Total Internal Reflection
Video: How fibre optic cables work!
Do the 4.4 Critical Angle Worksheet!
Read pages 145 – 150
of your textbook and
summarize your
understanding in one-
page of notes!
Diffraction
Learning Objective: Explain and discuss qualitatively the diffraction
of waves at apertures and obstacles.
• Diffraction involves a
change in direction and barrier
spread of waves as they

pass through an aperture
(opening) or meet an
obstacle (barrier) in their aperture
path.
• Diffraction can be applied
to all waves: water, sound,
and light.
barrier
• Ripple Tank Simulation
Diffraction
• Waves spread as they pass an obstacle or
through an aperature.
Diffraction
• Waves spread as they pass an obstacle or
through an aperature.
Diffraction
• The size of the aperture and the wavelength
of the wave will affect the amount of
diffraction (the sharpness of the bending)
observed.
Diffraction
• The amount of diffraction increases with
increasing wavelength and decreases with
decreasing wavelength.
Diffraction
• Diffraction is most severe when the aperture
is similar in size to the wavelength of the
wave.
Diffraction
• Diffraction is most severe when the obstacle
is similar in size to the wavelength of the
wave.
Examples of Diffraction
Learning Objective: Describe examples of diffraction.
• Diffraction of water waves

• Diffraction of sound
waves (can be bent
around obstacles)
• Diffraction of sound waves explain why we can
hear people around a wall but not see them!
• Diffraction of light waves
• A rainbow effect can
be observed when
sunlight shines
through raindrops.
• The white light
disperses because the
different wavelengths
in the white light
diffract by different
amounts.
• Diffraction of radio waves
HL – Diffraction Patterns
n=2
n=1
θ
b
Do the 4.4
Diffraction
Worksheet!
Also, read pages
151 – 157 of your
textbook and
summarize your
understanding in
one-page of notes!
4.5 min YouTube Video - Diffraction

Superposition
Constructive and Destructive Interference
• When two waves of the same frequency
superimpose, we can get constructive
interference or destructive interference.
Constructive Interference Destructive Interference
+ = + =
Superposition
• In general, the displacements of two (or more)
waves can be added to produce a resultant
wave.
• Note that the displacements can be negative.
Superposition
Interference Patterns
• If we pass a wave
through a pair of
slits, an
interference
pattern is
produced.
• Ripple Tank Simulation

Interference Patterns
Path Difference
Learning Objective: State and apply the conditions for constructive
and for destructive interference in terms of path difference and phase
difference.
• Whether there is constructive or destructive
interference observed at a particular point
depends on the path difference of the two
waves.
Constructive interference occurs when the
path difference between waves is a whole
number of wavelengths.
Constructive interference occurs when the
path difference between waves is a whole
antinode
Destructive interference occurs when the
path difference between waves is a half
node
Sound Interference
• Two sound sources (loud
speakers) are placed
close to one another.
• Both sources of sound
are of same frequency,
wavelength, amplitude,
and phase relationship.
• If an observer walks
across the room then
loud and quiet regions of
the room can be
detected.
Sound Interference
8 min YouTube Video – Hewitt Explains Wave Interference

Light Interference
• Interference
patterns similar to
those described
for water and
sound can also be
observed for light
waves as long as
the conditions are
right.
Light Interference
Light Interference
Necessary Conditions
The conditions necessary for
interference to occur are that
the waves must:
•be of the same wavelength.
•have the same frequency.
•have a constant phase
relationship between the
sources.
In other words, the sources
must be coherent.
7 min. YouTube Veritasium Video – Double Slit Experiment

Young’s Double Slit Experiment
• Young’s double slit experiment demonstrates
the interference of light waves from two sources.
• Light from a monochromatic source first passes
through a single slit and then through a double
slit.
• The single slit is there to make the light falling on
the double slit coherent.
• This coherent light shines onto the double slits.
• As the light passes through the double slits, it
interferes and a series of bright and dark lines or
“fringe patterns” can be observed on the
screen.
Light Interference Fringe Patterns
• Which type of interference do you see in (a) and
(b)?
• Which fringe is brightest?
• Which type of interference do you see in (a) and
(b)? Constructive interference.
• Which fringe is brightest? (a)
• Which type of interference do you see in (c) and
(d)?
• What is the path difference?
• Which type of interference do you see in (c) and
(d)? Destructive interference.
• What is the path difference? λ/2, 3λ/2, 5λ/2,…
Constructive Interference
Destructive Interference
Interference Question
The diagram below shows wavefronts produced by two
sources of sound, S1 and S2, that are vibrating in phase.
The waves interfere constructively along the lines
labeled A and B.
The diagram below shows wavefronts produced by two sources of sound, S1
and S2, that are vibrating in phase. The waves interfere constructively along the
lines labeled A and B.
•Draw another line, labeled C, along which the waves
interfere constructively.
•Draw another line, labeled D, along which the waves
interfere destructively.
The diagram below shows wavefronts produced by two sources of sound, S1
and S2, that are vibrating in phase. The waves interfere constructively along the
lines labeled A and B.
•Draw another line, labeled C, along which the waves interfere
constructively.
•Draw another line, labeled D, along which the waves interfere
destructively.
Do the 4.4 Interference Questions!
Geometry of Young’s Slits
• Look at right triangle S1S2R and notice there is a
difference of one wavelength (λ) between S1Q and
S2Q for there to be constructive interference.
• Thus, S2R = λ
• Angle S1RS2 = 90° and Angle S2S1R = θ
D = distance from slits to screen (a few m)

d = slit separation (~ 0.5 mm)
s = distance from central max bright fringe to first bright fringe (next to central)
• For the first bright fringe away
from the central maximum
fringe: S2R = λ and Angle
S2S1R = θ

s = distance from central max bright fringe to first bright fringe (next to central)
• For all other bright fringes, the
angle θ must create a whole
number (n) multiple of
wavelength path differences
(between S1Q and S2Q).

s = distance between fringes
• Because of similar triangles,
sinθ also equals s/D!

s = distance between fringes
• Looking at triangle OQP, an expression can be found
that will give the locations of the maxima and minima of
the double slit fringe pattern.
• Since “s” is very small compared to “D”, θ is very small
and the small angle approximation (tanθ = sinθ) can be
used.

s = fringe separation
• tanθ = sinθ = s/D
• Dsinθ = s
• We’ve already seen that s/D = λ/d
• Thus,

s = fringe separation
Fringe Separation for 2-Source
Light Interference
2-Source Interference Example Problems
Learning Objective: Solve problems involving two-source interference.
Two loudspeakers, 2.0 m apart, are set up at the side of a

room facing inwards. A person walking across the far wall
of the room, 4.0 m away from the speakers, hears loud and
quiet regions of sound. If the frequency of the sound from
the two loudspeakers is 440 Hz, what is the distance
between successive loud regions?
Two loudspeakers, 2.0 m (d) apart, are set up at the side
of a room facing inwards. A person walking across the far
wall of the room, 4.0 m (D) away from the speakers, hears
loud and quiet regions of sound. If the frequency of the
sound from the two loudspeakers is 440 Hz (f) , what is the
distance (s) between successive loud regions?
wall of the room, 4.0 m (D) away from the speakers, hears
loud and quiet regions of sound. If the frequency of the
sound from the two loudspeakers is 440 Hz (f) , what is the
distance (s) between successive loud regions?
Two loudspeakers, 2.0 m (d) apart, are set up at the side of a
room facing inwards. A person walking across the far wall of
the room, 4.0 m (D) away from the speakers, hears loud and
the two loudspeakers is doubled from 440 Hz to 880 Hz (f) ,
what is the distance (s) between successive loud regions?
the two loudspeakers is doubled from 440 Hz to 880 Hz (f) ,
Doubling the
frequency
halves the
fringe
separation!
the two loudspeakers is halved from 440 Hz to 220 Hz (f) ,
the two loudspeakers is halved from 440 Hz to 220 Hz (f) ,
Halving the
frequency
doubles the
fringe
separation!
Two loudspeakers, 1.0 m (d) apart (half the original
distance), are set up at the side of a room facing inwards.
A person walking across the far wall of the room, 4.0 m (D)
away from the speakers, hears loud and quiet regions of
sound. If the frequency of the sound from the two
loudspeakers is 440 Hz (f) , what is the distance (s)
Two loudspeakers, 1.0 m (d) apart (half the original
Halving the
distance
between
sources
doubles the
fringe
separation!
Two loudspeakers, 4.0 m (d) apart (double the original
Two loudspeakers, 4.0 m (d) apart (double the original
Doubling the
distance
between
sources halves
the fringe
separation!
wall of the room, 2.0 m (D) away from the speakers (half
the original distance), hears loud and quiet regions of
wall of the room, 2.0 m (D) away from the speakers (half
the original distance), hears loud and quiet regions of
Halving the
distance from
the sources
halves the
fringe
separation!
Fringe Separation Relationships
• If D increases, s increases. • s = fringe separation
• If d increases, s decreases. • λ = wavelength of
source
• If λ increases, s increases. • D = distance from
slits to
• If f increases, s decreases. screen/observer
• d = slit separation
Wavelength of Light and Fringe Separation
• If wavelength (λ) increases, the fringe

separation (s) increases!
Do my double-slit investigation to determine
the wavelength of a laser light!
Thomas Young (1773 – 1829)

What about white (non-
monochromatic) light?
Diffraction Grating
• If white light is incident on a diffraction grating
then each wavelength of light, corresponding to a
specific color, will diffract to various degrees thus
causing dispersion.
• Red light, of longest wavelength, subtends the
largest angle.
Diffraction Grating
• The central bright fringe (0th order) will be white due
to no diffraction.
• The outer fringes will be colored with ever
increasing widths.
Diffraction Grating
Young’s Original Experiment
Coloured filter
Do the “4.4 Young’s
Double-Slit
Worksheet” on
DING and do
textbook question
#10 on page 167!

4.4 Wave Behaviour

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4.4 Wave Behaviour

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Always bring your physics binder,

something to write with, your

PPT content modified from Simon Porter

Incident ray Reflected ray

angle of incidence (i) = angle of reflection (r)

• Move your head until the

• Keeping your head still,

Beam of light Beam of light

Glass block Glass block

Light going from glass

4.5 min YouTube Video - Refraction

• Light slows down as

• There is a relationship between the speed of

What is the speed of light in diamond?

What is the speed of light in diamond?

Move Incident Ray

Move Incident Ray

Move Incident Ray

spread of waves as they

• Diffraction of water waves

4.5 min YouTube Video - Diffraction

Constructive Interference Destructive Interference

• Ripple Tank Simulation

8 min YouTube Video – Hewitt Explains Wave Interference

7 min. YouTube Veritasium Video – Double Slit Experiment

D = distance from slits to screen (a few m)

D = distance from slits to screen (a few m)

D = distance from slits to screen (a few m)

D = distance from slits to screen (a few m)

D = distance from slits to screen (a few m)

D = distance from slits to screen (a few m)

Two loudspeakers, 2.0 m apart, are set up at the side of a

• If wavelength (λ) increases, the fringe

Thomas Young (1773 – 1829)

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