Waves

• waves transfer energy in the direction they are travelling
• Waves have amplitude, wavelength and frequency
• Transverse waves have perpendicular vibrations
• longitudinal waves have parallel vibrations
• wave speed = frequency x wavelength
• All waves can be absorbed transmitted or reflected
• angle of incidence = angle of reflection
• the normal line is an imaginary line that is perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence
• Specular reflection is when a wave is reflected from a smooth surface with no air gaps.
• Diffuse reflection is when light is reflected from a surface that is not a perfect reflection and the reflected rays are scattered in lots of different directions
• Refraction is waves changing direction at the boundary
• The higher the optical density the slower light waves travel through it