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Wave Interactions

Decent Essays

Wave Interactions
Wave interactions include reflection, refraction, diffraction, and interference. Wave interactions occur when a wave hits something and it either reflects, refracts, diffracts, or there is an interference. Many different types of waves can be involved in wave interactions including sound, light, surface, etc.
Reflection occurs when a particular wave, or waves, bounce, or reflect back from an object through which they cannot pass. An echo is a good example of a reflection wave interaction, but reflection can occur with other types of waves, too. Light waves can be reflected too. A light source, such as a light bulb or the sun, gives light to an object. That object reflects some of the light, and when the light that has been reflected hits one’s eye, he or she could see the object.When waves hit an object, they reflect back in the same direction. Waves that are reflected have the same speed and frequency as the original wave, so only their direction is changed. On the other hand, when waves hit an object at an angle, they bounce at the same degree of angle, but in a different direction (CK-12 Foundation, 2017).
The bending of waves as they pass from one form of matter to another is refraction. When light travels from an object to one’s eyes, it makes the object seem to be in a different location. As waves access a new medium. they travel at a different rate in the alternative medium. For instance, light waves travel at a lower rate in water than in air. The

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