4.2. Wave Behavior

• Wave behavior refers to the various properties and characteristics of waves, including their interactions with matter
• Refraction occurs when a wave changes direction as it passes from one medium to another with a different speed
• The superposition principle states that when two or more waves overlap, their amplitudes add together to form a resultant wave
• Coherence is necessary for observing clear interference patterns.


  True
• What is diffraction?

  Bending of waves around obstacles
• What happens during constructive interference?

  Waves add to increase amplitude
• What happens to a wave passing through a wide gap compared to its wavelength?

  Minimal bending occurs
• In Young's double slit experiment, the alternating bright and dark fringes are caused by constructive and destructive interference
• Constructive interference occurs when the path difference is a multiple of the wavelength.

  True
• Destructive interference occurs when the path difference is an odd multiple of λ/2
• In reflection, a wave changes direction but not its frequency
• The superposition principle states that overlapping waves combine by adding their amplitudes
• Order the steps of wave behavior in diffraction based on gap size and wavelength

  1️⃣ Wide gap, waves propagate straight

  2️⃣ Narrow gap, waves bend significantly
• Match the type of coherence with its description:

  Temporal Coherence ↔️ Consistency of wave frequency over time

  Spatial Coherence ↔️ Consistency of wave phase across space
• What happens to a wave during reflection?

  It bounces off a surface
• Wave behaviors are fundamental to understanding how waves interact with materials and environments.


  True
• Destructive interference occurs when waves combine to decrease the amplitude.

  True
• Light passing through a narrow slit creates bright and dark fringes due to interference.


  True
• Young's double slit experiment provides evidence against the particle model of light.


  True
• Longer wavelengths produce wider fringe spacing
• Steps in Young's double slit experiment

  1️⃣ Light waves pass through two narrow slits

  2️⃣ Waves overlap and interfere

  3️⃣ Alternating bright and dark fringes appear on a screen
• Diffraction occurs when waves bend around obstacles or through openings


  True
• Constructive interference increases the amplitude of the resulting wave

  True
• The double slit experiment provides evidence that light exhibits wave-like properties
• Light from a laser is highly coherent, both temporally and spatially
• The degree of diffraction depends on the wavelength of the wave and the size of the gap or obstacle
• What does Young's double slit experiment demonstrate?

  Wave nature of light
• What effect does a longer wavelength have on fringe spacing in interference patterns?

  Wider fringe spacing
• Constructive interference occurs when the path difference is a multiple of the wavelength

  True
• Match the wave behavior with its description:

  Reflection ↔️ Wave bounces off a surface

  Refraction ↔️ Wave changes direction when passing through a medium

  Diffraction ↔️ Wave bends around obstacles

  Interference ↔️ Combination of two or more waves
• Interference results from the combination of two or more waves
• Destructive interference occurs when waves cancel each other out, decreasing the amplitude
• Longer wavelengths in an interference pattern produce wider fringe spacing

  True