3.2.

4 notes Name/Date: _______________________________

Chapter 17.3 Behavior of waves

Behavior of waves: deal with the response of a wave to an object or another wave in its path

1. Reflection: occurs when a wave bounces off a surface that it cannot pass through
Cannot pass through the object so it must bounce back
Reflection only shows an image when the surface is sufficiently smooth to return the
incoming waves in their original pattern (i.e. paper is not smooth enough to reflect)

Examples of reflection:
sound will echo off a distant wall
light will reflect an image off a smooth surfacemirror

Law of reflection: the angle at which a wave hits a surface will be equal to the angle at which it reflects
from it (p. 570)

2.Refraction: the bending of a wave pattern as it enters a new medium at

an angle (appears bent) (p.509)
Example:
Light waves pass from air to water:
either pencil in beaker of water or
bending of a swimmers legs under a pools surface
Bending of light waves is color-dependent so each color
is bent a different amount on encountering a new
substance (called dispersion --- prism or rainbow)
Sound waves from an earthquake bend as they reach the
center of Earth
3.Diffraction: the bending of a wave as it moves around an
obstacle or passes through a narrow opening (p. 510)
For example, water waves around a sand bar

4.Interference: occurs when two or more waves overlap and

combine together (p. 510)
Two Types:
Constructive interference: Occurs when two or more waves combine to produce a
wave with a larger displacement (p.511)
Wave amplitudes at the same location simple add together
Causes an increase in amplitude
 Destructive interference: Occurs when two or more waves combine to produce a
wave with a smaller displacement
Occurs when a crest meets a trough
Causes a reduction in amplitude

D
e
a
d

spots in an auditorium are caused by complete destructive interference between waves from
at least two speakers on stage

Standing waves (p. 512) a wave that appears to stay in one place
It doesnt seem to move through the medium
At certain frequencies, interference between a wave and its reflection can produce a standing
wave
Examples: steady shaking of a rope tied to a fixed point, the sound waves in wind instruments
or organ pipes, or stringed instruments like a guitar

Node a point on a standing wave that has no displacement from the rest position (fixed point)

Anode a point where a crest or trough occurs midway between two nodes (bouncing point)
Chapter 17.4

Sound waves are longitudinal or compression waves

The Doppler Effect (p. 516): a change in sound frequency caused by motion of the sound source,
motion of the listener, or both
Examples: a train whistle as it goes past you or a siren as it goes past you
The pitch decreases as the sound goes past
Cause? Due to the sources catching up or leaving behind the waves it produces
A source moving towards you will sound higher than its actual sound at rest
A source moving away from an observer will sound lower than its actual sound at rest
Decrease in wavelength as a sounding object moves towards you and an increase in wavelength
as the object moves away
Example (p.516):

Sonar is a technique for determining the distance to an object underwater.

Radar is an acronym for radio detection and ranging.
Radar technology uses a radio transmitter to send out short
burst of radio waves which reflect off the objects they
encounter and bounce back toward where they came from
Samples:

1. Which statement is true for all types of waves?

a. Wave speed is determined by the frequency.
b. Wave speed increases as the wavelength of the wave increases
c. Wave motion transports particles of matter.
d. Wave motion transfers energy from one place to another.

2. Which type of wave can travel in a vacuum?

a. Sound b. Mechanical c. Surface d. Electromagnetic
3. Which type of wave would be classified as compressional?
a. Visible light b. Radio waves c. X-rays d. Ultrasound
4. Which wave interaction best explains glare on the windshield of a car?
a. Diffraction b. Reflection c. Refraction d. Interference
5. What wave interaction best explains the production of an image on a glass window as you walk
by a store front?
a. Diffraction b. Reflection c. Refraction d. Interference
6. The bending and change in speed of water waves as they approach a shoreline is explained by
what process?
a. Diffraction b. Interference c. Reflection d. Refraction
7. Which of the following is most closely related to the volume of a sound?
a. Pitch b. wavelength c. frequency d. amplitude
8. If a high frequency sound wave is transmitted from Earth towards the moon, which one of the
following would be true?
a. The distance to the moon could be determined using this technique.
b. The transmitted sound wave will maintain a constant speed as it travels to the moon.
c. The sound wave will begin to travel faster as it leaves Earths atmosphere.
d. The sound wave will travel no further than the outer portion of Earths atmosphere.
9. In which wave will a particle move at a right angle to the direction of the wave?
a. Compression b. rarefaction c. longitudinal d. transverse
10. Which of the following correctly shows the arrangement of the electromagnetic spectrum from
longest wavelength to shortest wavelength?
a. Radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible, UV, x-rays, and gamma rays
b. Infrared, UV, visible, microwaves, radio waves, gamma rays, and x-rays
c. Gamma rays, x-rays, UV, visible, infrared, microwaves, and radio waves
11. What kind of beam is used to read the sound pattern on a compact disc?
a. Radio b. laser c. magnetic d. digital