- #1
Sjonsjon
- 3
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I was thinking about refraction of waves and I´m a little unsure. I wanted to run my understanding through you guys to make sure I´m right.
So
The general rule is when a wave goes from a slower medium to a faster medium the wave should turn sligtly away from the faster medium when it enters it. And we can turn it around and say when a wave goes from a faster medium to a slower medium the wave should turn slightly towards the medium when it enters it.
Something like this:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geoopt/refr.html
So when a light wave goes from air to water the light should bend towards the water because it going from faster to a slower medium. But it should be the opposite with sound, when sound goes from air to water then the wave is going from a slower medium to a faster medium so it should bend away from the water when it enters it.
Am I right about this? And if I am right than this picture must be wrong which confused me alot.
http://learn.uci.edu/oo/getOCWPage.php?course=OC0811004&lesson=005&topic=003&page=14
So
The general rule is when a wave goes from a slower medium to a faster medium the wave should turn sligtly away from the faster medium when it enters it. And we can turn it around and say when a wave goes from a faster medium to a slower medium the wave should turn slightly towards the medium when it enters it.
Something like this:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geoopt/refr.html
So when a light wave goes from air to water the light should bend towards the water because it going from faster to a slower medium. But it should be the opposite with sound, when sound goes from air to water then the wave is going from a slower medium to a faster medium so it should bend away from the water when it enters it.
Am I right about this? And if I am right than this picture must be wrong which confused me alot.
http://learn.uci.edu/oo/getOCWPage.php?course=OC0811004&lesson=005&topic=003&page=14