huey910 said:I have always thought that the speed of oscillations of a particle in a wave = wave traveling velocity - is that not correct?
That depends on the medium, and your question is too general for a general answer.huey910 said:In addition, when light passes through a medium, does only part of it go through and the rest reflected?
The speed of particles in a wave refers to the individual motion of the particles within the wave. This can vary depending on the medium the wave is traveling through. On the other hand, the wave speed refers to the speed at which the wave as a whole travels through the medium. This is determined by the properties of the medium, such as density and elasticity.
No, the speed of particles and wave speed can be different. In some cases, the particles may move faster or slower than the wave itself. For example, in a water wave, the particles move in a circular motion while the wave itself moves forward.
The wave speed is determined by the properties of the medium, which remain constant as long as the conditions of the medium do not change. However, the speed of particles can change if the medium changes, such as temperature or pressure changes. This is because the individual particles are affected by these changes in the medium.
The speed of particles can affect the overall speed of a wave in some cases. For example, if the particles in a medium are moving faster than the wave speed, they can create a shock wave, which travels faster than the wave itself. In other cases, the speed of particles may not have a significant impact on the wave speed.
Yes, the speed of particles and the wave speed can be measured differently. The speed of particles can be measured using methods such as Doppler radar, while the wave speed can be measured using techniques like time-of-flight measurements or frequency analysis. Both measurements can provide valuable information about the behavior of waves and particles.