Wave Behaviors

Front

What is constructive interference?

Back

Constructive interference occurs when two or more waves overlap and combine to produce a wave of greater amplitude. This happens when the crests of one wave align with the crests of another.

Front

What is destructive interference?

Back

Destructive interference occurs when two or more waves overlap and combine to produce a wave of lesser amplitude. This happens when the crest of one wave aligns with the trough of another.

Front

What does it mean for a material to be transparent?

Back

A transparent material allows light to pass through it, enabling objects behind it to be seen clearly.

Front

What does it mean for a material to be opaque?

Back

An opaque material allows very little to no light to pass through it, causing objects behind it to not be seen.

Front

What is scattering in the context of light?

Back

Scattering is the process by which light is forced to deviate from a straight trajectory due to non-uniformities in the medium it passes through, which is responsible for phenomena like the blue color of the sky.

Front

What is refraction?

Back

Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another, caused by a change in its speed.

Front

What is diffraction?

Back

Diffraction is the bending of waves around obstacles and openings, which can cause waves to spread out after passing through a narrow aperture.

Front

What is the difference between reflection and refraction?

Back

Reflection is the bouncing back of light when it hits a surface, while refraction is the bending of light as it passes through different media.

Front

What is the principle of superposition in wave theory?

Back

The principle of superposition states that when two or more waves overlap, the resulting wave displacement is the sum of the individual wave displacements.

Front

What is a wave's amplitude?

Back

Amplitude is the maximum extent of a wave's displacement from its rest position, indicating the energy of the wave.