Phase reversal when waves reflect from a hard surface

[yaffle]

I know that waves on a string are inverted on reflection from a hard surface. How about light waves and sound waves?

 

[dextercioby]

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.

 

[Doc Al]

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.

 

[yaffle]

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?

 

[orange]

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! :-)