Is Reflection of an Incident Wave Lagging or Advancing?

In summary, the conversation discusses the reflection of an incident wave and the change in phase that occurs. The question arises whether the reflection lags or advances the phase. A mathematical exercise is conducted to show that a phase difference of π can be either an advance or a lag. Ultimately, it is concluded that there is no need to be concerned with whether the π is an advance or a lag in the reflection.
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LCSphysicist
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Homework Statement
I will post below
Relevant Equations
I will post below
Actually, maybe i am confusing something, or valuing unnecessary things, but this doubt arises and i am not sure how answer it.
The reflection of an incident wave changes (suppose it will change, we don't need to talk when or why to go on the discussion) by π rad, but, this reflection lags the wave or "advance" the phase?
That is, let's do a exercise:
Two waves are travelling:
ψ1 = a*sin(wt-kx)
ψ2 = a*sin(wt-kx+p)
THe difference of phase 2 to 1, clearly, is p.
If the wave two reflect with change of phase, the difference of phase between the waves will now be
p + π (advances) or p - π (lags)
?
 
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A phase difference of ##\phi+\pi## is equivalent to a phase difference of ##\phi-\pi##.

Show that ##\sin(\omega t + kx +\phi +\pi) = \sin(\omega t + kx +\phi - \pi)##.

So, there is no need to be concerned with whether the ##\pi## is an advance or a lag.

[If the wave reflects, ##\omega t - kx## changes to ##\omega t + kx##. If only the second wave reflects, then the two waves no longer differ by just a phase constant.]
 
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1. Is the reflection of an incident wave always lagging?

No, the reflection of an incident wave can either lag or advance depending on the medium it is traveling through.

2. How does the medium affect the reflection of an incident wave?

The density and elasticity of the medium can affect the speed of the wave, which in turn can determine whether the reflection will lag or advance.

3. Can the angle of incidence also affect the reflection of an incident wave?

Yes, the angle of incidence can affect the direction and magnitude of the reflected wave, but it does not determine whether the reflection will lag or advance.

4. Are there any real-life examples of lagging or advancing reflections?

Yes, when sound waves travel through a medium with varying density, such as air near the ground, the reflection can be lagging. On the other hand, when light waves travel through a medium with varying refractive index, such as a prism, the reflection can be advancing.

5. How can we determine whether a reflection will lag or advance in a given medium?

We can use the equation v = fλ to calculate the speed of the wave in the medium, where v is the speed, f is the frequency, and λ is the wavelength. If the speed of the wave is greater than the speed of the incident wave, the reflection will advance. If the speed is less than the incident wave, the reflection will lag.

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