Reflection of waves: Waves: Physics: GCSE (9:1)

Cards (15)

What a wave can do at the boundary between different materials
The wave can be reflected, refracted, transmitted or absorbed
Reflection 
When a wave meets meets the boundary between two different materials and bounces off
Echo 
The name given to a reflected sound wave
Law of reflection
The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection (measured from the normal line)
Incident ray 
The incoming ray that hits the smooth surface
Angle of incidence 
The angle between the incident ray and the normal line
Reflected ray 
The ray after it has been reflected from the smooth surface
Angle of reflection 
The angle between the reflected ray and the normal line
Normal line 
An imaginary line at right angles to the boundary between two different materials where all angles are measured from
Specular reflection 
When light is reflected from a smooth surface in a single direction e.g. from a plane mirror
Plane mirror 
A flat mirror that allows an image to be seen
Image formed in a plane mirror
The image formed is upright and virtual
Virtual image 
An image that forms at a position where light rays appear to come from but do not actually come from e.g. the image in a plane mirror
Diffuse reflection 
When light is reflected from a rough surface and scatters in many directions
Image formed from a diffuse reflection 
A image formed is distorted image if it forms at all