Light- reflecton and light
What kind of waves are light waves?
Electromagnetic waves
What are electromagnetic waves?
they consist of oscillating electric and magnetic fields, which radiate outward from the sound source at the speed of light in transverse waves
lightwave medium?
light waves have no medium
Speed of light
a constant (variable "C")
Value of Speed of light
C=3.00*10 to the power of 8 m/s
Speed of light equation #2
C= wavelength times freq
Huygen's Principle
any point on a wave front can be considered the source of a new wave
What can waves be approximated as?
rays
what does the intensity of light depend on?
power of the light source and the distance from the source
What happens when light travels through a uniform substance?
it travels in a straight line
What happens to light when it encounters an opaque surface?
some of the light is absorbed and some is reflected
Opaque
you can see the light on its surface but you can't see through it
Translucent
can see light but can't see the object behind it
Reflection
the change in direction of an electromagnetic wave on a surface that causes it to move away from the surface
What affects how light is reflected?
The texture of the surface it is reflected on
How does a rough surface effect reflections?
reflects the light in many directions (diffuse reflection)
How does a shiny surface affect reflections?
reflects the light in one direction (specular reflection)
Normal line of reflection
line perpendicular to the reflecting surface
Angle of incidence
angle between the incoming ray of light and the normal line
Angle of reflection
the angle formed by the outgoing ray of light and the normal line
What is the angle of incidence equal to?
the angle of reflection
What is the object image in a flat mirror
a virtual image that comes from a location behind the mirror; the light appears to come from behind the mirror
What does the virtual image in a flat mirror appear to be?
the same distance from the mirror as the object
What is the size of the virtual image in a flat mirror?
same size as the object being reflected
What mirror causes the reflection to be reversed?
flat mirror
What is the relationship between frequency and wavelength
inverse- as one decreases the other increases
What do scientists consider light's speed to be?
Finite- limited number
Are perfect reflectors common?
no
What is used to predict the location of an image?
simple geometry, the law of reflection, and ray diagrams
What is the difference between real and virtual images?
Real images can be displayed on a surface, virtual images cannot