Refraction and Diffraction

A beam of light bends when it passes from air into water, and then bends even more when it passes from water into glass. What can you conclude from this fact?

• Air is denser than glass.

• Water is denser than glass.

• Glass is denser than water.

• Air is denser than water.

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What type of stuff can be refracted? Choose the best answer.

• Light

• Sound

• Heat

• Anything that travels in waves

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Light refracts when:

• It changes speed

• It changes from a particle to a wave

• Its density changes

• It encounters a solid object

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Why does white light from the sun form a colorful rainbow when it passes through water droplets in the atmosphere?

• The droplets of water in the air have different densities

• Different-sized water droplets refract white light at different angles

• The colors that make up white light refract at different angles

• White light diffracts when it encounters water

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Which of the following is the best example of diffraction?

• Your voice echoing back when you shout into a canyon

• A straw appearing to bend when you place it in a glass of water

• A prism breaking a beam of light into its component colors

• The music on your stereo getting louder when you turn up the volume

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Diffraction is useful in which of the following fields?

• Calculus

• Anthropology

• Astronomy

• Astrology

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What's an easy way to create an interference pattern of waves?

• Shine a light onto a black surface; the dark color will interfere with the transmission of light

• Broadcast radio waves from a tower; water particles in the atmosphere will interfere with the transmission

• Play music through a board with one hole in it; the board will interfere with the sound waves

• Toss two pebbles into the water close to each other; the waves from each pebble will interfere with the other

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What can you conclude about X-rays from the fact that they diffract?

• They travel fairly slowly

• They cannot pass through most obstacles

• They travel in waves

• They carry a lot of energy

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Blue light bends more than red light when it passes through glass. Thus, blue light has a greater:

• Angle of refraction

• Interference pattern

• Index of diffraction

• Wavelength

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What is the main difference between refraction and diffraction?

• Refraction is a phenomenon that affects light; diffraction is a phenomenon that affects sound.

• Refraction involves the bending of light; diffraction involves the bending and spreading of light, usually around an obstacle.

• Refraction usually happens in the atmosphere; diffraction usually happens closer to the earth's surface.

• Refraction involves changes to the density of light; diffraction involves changes to the speed of light.

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