Reflection of Straight And Circular Wave

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From Deep to Shallower Region

When plane waves move from deep to shallow water, their wavelength become shorter and the velocity decreases. The frequency of the wave remain unchanged. This can be illustrated by placing a piece of rectangular Perspex of suitable thickness in the tank to reduce the local water depth.

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Refraction of Water Wave

The change in wavelength and speed causes a change the waves direction when they cross the boundary. In other words, refraction occurs. Previous | Top | Next

Refraction - Deeper to Shallower Region

When water waves are propagating from deeper region to a shallower region, the wave will be refracted approaching the normal. Previous | Top | Next

Refraction - Shallower to Deeper Region

When water waves are propagating from shallower region to a deeper region, the wave will be refracted away from the normal. Previous | Top | Next

Some Other Pattern of Refraction

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Natural Phenomenon Involves Refraction

The effect of refraction causes seaside near to a cape is stony while sea near to a bay is sandy.

At the middle of the sea, the wavefront is a linear line. When waves move close to the coast line, the wavefronts start to curve and follow the topography of the coast line. At the bay, the energy of the wave spread to a wider area, and cause the amplitude to reduce. At the cape, the energy of the wave is converged to a smaller area, therefore the amplitude of the wave increases.

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Diffraction
Diffraction is the spreading of a wave when it travels through an opening or a small obstacle. Top | Next

Charecteristic of Diffraction
1. 2. 3. 4. Wavelength does not change. Frequency does not change. Speed of diffracted does not change. The amplitude of the wave decreases after diffraction.

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Diffraction happen when waves encounter an obstacle

Waves spread to a wider area after passing the obstacle. The wavelength and the frequency remain unchanged after diffraction.

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Diffraction happen when waves pass through an opening

Waves spread to a wider area after passing through the opening. The wavelength and the frequency remain unchanged after diffraction.

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Factors Affecting the Magnitude of Diffraction - Wavelength

Shorter wavelength Diffracted less

Longer wavelength Diffracted more

In the diagram above, we can see that as the wavelength of a wave is longer, it will be diffracted more compare with a wave with shorter wavelegth. Previous | Top | Next

Factors Affecting the Magnitude of Diffraction - Size of Opening

Small opening Diffracted more

Bigger opening - Diffracted less

Diagram above shows that the magnitude of diffration will reduce when the size of opening increases. Previous | Top | Next

Principle of Superposition

The principle of superposition states that where two or more waves meet, the total displacement at any point is the vector sum of the displacements that each individual wave would cause at that point.

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Coherent Wave
Two wave sources which are coherent have the same frequency (therefore same wavelength) and in phase or constant phase difference. Previous | Top | Next

Interference
The effect of superposition of two coherent waves is interference. Interference is the phenomenon when two or more waves overlap in the same region of space at the same time.

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Constructive interference

Superposition of waves which have same phase (2 crest or 2 trough) to produce a resultant wave which vibrates with maximum amplitude. Previous | Top | Next

Destructive Interference

Superposition of waves which are anti-phase (crest and trough) to produce a resultant wave which vibrates with minimum amplitude. Previous | Top | Next

Node and Antinode

An anti-node is a point of maximum amplitude where constructive interference occurs. Whereas a node is point of zero amplitude where destructive interference occurs. The anti-node line joins all anti-node points. The node line joins all node points. Previous | Top | Next

Interference's Formula

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