Name: ______________________
Topic # 6.2
GPS: 9a,b,d
Wave Interactions Funsheet
Directions: After reading section 10.3 in your textbook (stop at pg. 309), fill in the blanks below.
Section 3 The Behavior of Waves
A. Reflection occurs when a wave strikes an object and
_bounces__ _off____ of it.
1. _All__ types of waves can be reflected (light, sound,
water, etc.)
2. The angle of incidence of a wave is always equal to the
angle of _reflection____.
a. Normal—an imaginary line _perpendicular__ to a
reflective surface
b. Angle of _Incidence_ = the
angle formed by the wave
striking the surface and the
normal
c. Angle of _reflection_ = the
angle formed by the
reflected wave and the normal
B. Refraction—the _bending__ of a wave
caused by a change in its speed as it
moves from one medium to another
1. The greater the change in speed is,
the _more___ the wave bends.
2. When a wave passes into a material
that slows it down, the wave is bent
_toward___ the normal.
3. When a wave passes into a material
that speeds it up, the wave is bent
_away from__ the normal.
C.
Date: ___/____/____ Per: ___
Diffraction—an object causes a wave to change direction
and _bend___ around it
1. If the obstacle is _smaller___than the
wavelength, the wave diffracts a lot.
2. If the obstacle is much _larger_
than the wavelength, the wave does not diffract much.
3. The larger the obstacle
is compared to the
wavelength, the _less__
the waves will diffract.
D. Interference—the ability of two or more waves to
__combine___ and form a new wave
1. Waves pass right through each other and continue in
_Thier_original__ _direction__.
2. New wave exists only
while the two original
waves continue to
_overlap__________.
3. Constructive
interference—waves
_add___ together
4. Destructive
interference—waves
__Subtract_ from
each other
Directions: The illustration below represents the law of reflection. Copy the letters
from the illustration next to the terms they stand for.
1. _c_____ normal
2. _d_____ angle of reflection
PS
SPS9a Recognize that all waves transfer energy. SPS9b Relate
frequency and wavelength to the energy of different types of
electromagnetic waves and mechanical waves. SPS9d. Investigate
the phenomena of reflection, refraction, interference, and diffraction.
Directions: Fill in the concept Map with
words from the word box.
3. _e_____ reflected beam
4. _a_____ incident beam
5. _b_____ angle of incidence
Directions: Answer the questions in the space provided.
6. If you are picking up a coin on the bottom of the pool, can you
just reach for where the coin appears to be? Why or why not?
_No, Air and water are two different mediums. Light waves
that allow you to see the coin bend when they enter the
water causing you to miss the coin_____
7. What causes waves to bend? _Waves slow down or speed up
when they entera different medium.______
8. What are the two types of interference and how do they work?
a. _Constructive – waves overlap in a manner that adds them together._____
b. _Destructive – waves overlap in a manner that subtracts them from each other. _____
9. Is the statement below true or false? Provide an example that explains your answer.
Waves lose some energy when they reflect, refract, diffract, or interfere with one another.
energy
incidence
mechanical
medium
reflection
space
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Directions: Use the following equations to solve the problems below.
Use the EE or EXP button on your calculator when entering numbers in
scientific notation:
Ex: 5.16 x 1013 is entered as 5 . 1 6 EE 1 3
1.
v = ∙λ
λ=v

=v
λ
v = velocity (m/s)
 = frequency (Hz or 1/s)
λ = wavelength (m)
A wave with a frequency of 60.0 Hz travels through steel with a wavelength of 85.5 m. What is the speed of this wave?
v=?
 = 60.0Hz
Answer: 5130 m/s
λ =85.5m
2.
Yellow light with a wavelength of 5.89 x 10-7 m travels through quartz glass with a speed of 1.94 x 108 m/s. What is the frequency of the light?
v = 1.94x10^8 m/s
Answer: 3.29x10^14
=?
λ = 5.89x10^-7
3.
A wave with a frequency of 60.0 Hz travels through vulcanized rubber with a wavelength of 0.90 m. What is the speed of this wave?
v=?
 = 60.0Hz
Answer: 54 m/s
λ = 0.90m
4.
The speed of all electromagnetic waves is 3 x 108 m/s. This is abbreviated “c.” Use “c” for “v” on the next 4 problems, a – d.
a. A low-frequency radio wave has a frequency of 250,000 Hz. What is the wavelength of this radio wave?
v = c = 3 x 108 m/s
 = 250,000Hz
Answer1200m
λ=?
b. A certain microwave has a wavelength of 0.032 meters. Calculate the frequency of this microwave.
v = = c = 3 x 108 m/s
=?
Answer: 9.38x10^9Hz
λ = 0.032m
c. A certain wave on the border between microwaves and infrared waves has a frequency of 2 x 1012 Hz. Calculate the wavelength of this wave.
v = = c = 3 x 108 m/s
 = 2x10^12Hz
Answer: 1.5x10^-4m
λ=?
d. You broke your big toe! The x-ray they take of your toe uses waves that have a length 2.19 x 1010 m. What is the frequency of the x-ray?
v = = c = 3 x 108 m/s
=?
Answer: 0.014Hz
λ = 2.19x10^10m
5.
A 10.0 m wire is hung from a high ceiling and held tightly below by a large mass. Standing waves are created in the wire by air currents that
pass over the wire, setting it in motion. If the speed of the standing wave is 335 m/s and its frequency is 67 Hz, what is its wavelength?
v = 335 m/s
 = 67Hz
Answer: 5m
λ=?
6.
A drum is struck, producing a wave with a wavelength of 1.10 m and a speed of 2.42 x 104 m/s. What is the frequency of the wave?
v = 2.42x10^4 m/s
=?
Answer: 2.2x10^4Hz
λ = 1.10m
7.
A bar marked “F” on a toy xylophone produces a sound wave 2.3 m long moving at 371 m/s. What is the frequency of this wave?
v = 371 m/s
=?
Answer: 161.30Hz
λ = 2.3 m
8.
A certain FM radio station broadcasts electromagnetic waves at a frequency of 9.05 x 1010 Hz. These radio waves travel at the speed of light
(see #4 above). What is the wavelength of these radio waves?
v = c = 3 x 108 m/s
 = 9.05x10^10Hz
λ=?
Answer: 3.3x10^-3