How Does Phase Reversal Occur in Light and Sound Wave Reflections?

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Waves on a string are inverted upon reflection from a hard surface, and this concept extends to light and sound waves. Sound waves reflecting from a hard surface experience a phase shift of π radians, resulting in inversion. Light waves also undergo a phase shift of π radians when reflecting off materials with a higher index of refraction, while those reflecting from lower index materials do not. The discussion clarifies that this phase shift is commonly understood as "inversion." Overall, the principles of phase reversal apply similarly across different types of waves during reflection.
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I know that waves on a string are inverted on reflection from a hard surface. How about light waves and sound waves?
 
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yaffle said:
I know that waves on a string are inverted on reflection from a hard surface. How about light waves and sound waves?


I don't unserstand what u could possbly mean by 'inverted',but i can tell you that sound and light waves get a phase shift by \pi radians on each reflection.

Daniel.
 
Light reflecting from a material of higher index of refraction will get phase shifted by \pi radians (thus "inverted"), but light reflecting from a material of lower index of refraction will not get phase shifted.

Sound waves reflecting from a hard surface will get phase shifted by \pi radians.
 
Thanks:
Sorry I thought everyone would be familiar with the concept of a phase shift of pi radians as being "inverted"
however,
I guess this means that light reflected from a mirror or any object eg. an apple is phase shifted by pi radians?
 
yaffle said:
Thanks:
Sorry I thought everyone would be familiar with the concept of a phase shift of pi radians as being "inverted"
however,
I guess this means that light reflected from a mirror or any object eg. an apple is phase shifted by pi radians?

Exactly! :-)
 
Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'

Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'

Starting with the mass considerations #m(t)# is mass of water #M_{c}# mass of container and #M(t)# mass of total system $$M(t) = M_{C} + m(t)$$ $$\Rightarrow \frac{dM(t)}{dt} = \frac{dm(t)}{dt}$$ $$P_i = Mv + u \, dm$$ $$P_f = (M + dm)(v + dv)$$ $$\Delta P = M \, dv + (v - u) \, dm$$ $$F = \frac{dP}{dt} = M \frac{dv}{dt} + (v - u) \frac{dm}{dt}$$ $$F = u \frac{dm}{dt} = \rho A u^2$$ from conservation of momentum , the cannon recoils with the same force which it applies. $$\quad \frac{dm}{dt}...
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