Page 2
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Hmmm.. The wave appears to be changing direction. It is refracting.
One way to think about why is to imagine the wavefronts as rows of
marching soldiers. The soldiers at one end of the row will slow down before the others so the rows will swing round and change direction. When they leave the muddy field these soldiers will speed up first so swing round again. |
| The angle i is called the "angle of incidence", the
angle coming in. The angle r is called the "angle of refraction" Both angles are between the ray and the normal line. REMEMBER |
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| Here's a ray leaving glass. So which angle is which now? |
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Lets get mathematical! Take me to Page 3 please