As a wave is reflected it will obey the law of reflection which states that the incidence angle is equal to the angle of reflection. When a wave is refracted it will obey Snell’s law which is not as simple. This law depends on the incidence angle and the index of refraction of the two mediums.
Q. What are the two laws of sound reflection?
The angle of reflection is always equal to the angle of incidence . The reflected sound, the incident sound, and the normal sound belong in the same plane.
Table of Contents
- Q. What are the two laws of sound reflection?
- Q. Does Snell’s law apply to sound waves?
- Q. What is the difference between a reflected and a diffracted sound wave?
- Q. How do sound waves behave in different mediums?
- Q. What happens to matter when a wave travels through it?
- Q. Does it matter what type of media a wave travels through?
- Q. Do waves move matter as they travel?
- Q. Can electromagnetic waves travel through empty space?
Q. Does Snell’s law apply to sound waves?
Yes. Snell’s law can be applied for sound waves. Snell’s law is used to explain the refraction of sound waves and light waves.
Q. What is the difference between a reflected and a diffracted sound wave?
Reflection involves a change in direction of waves when they bounce off a barrier; refraction of waves involves a change in the direction of waves as they pass from one medium to another; and diffraction involves a change in direction of waves as they pass through an opening or around a barrier in their path.
Q. How do sound waves behave in different mediums?
Sound waves need to travel through a medium such as solids, liquids and gases. The sound waves move through each of these mediums by vibrating the molecules in the matter. This enables sound to travel much faster through a solid than a gas. Sound travels about four times faster and farther in water than it does in air.
Q. What happens to matter when a wave travels through it?
The Medium The energy of a mechanical wave can travel only through matter. The matter through which the wave travels is called the medium (plural, media). As they vibrate, they pass the energy of the disturbance to the particles next to them, which pass the energy to the particles next to them, and so on.
Q. Does it matter what type of media a wave travels through?
The Medium The energy of a mechanical wave can travel only through matter. The matter through which the wave travels is called the medium (plural, media). The medium in the water wave pictured above is water, a liquid. But the medium of a mechanical wave can be any state of matter, even a solid.
Q. Do waves move matter as they travel?
In a wave phenomenon, energy can move from one location to another, yet the particles of matter in the medium return to their fixed position. A wave transports its energy without transporting matter. Energy is transported through the medium, yet the water molecules are not transported.
Q. Can electromagnetic waves travel through empty space?
Electromagnetic waves differ from mechanical waves in that they do not require a medium to propagate. This means that electromagnetic waves can travel not only through air and solid materials, but also through the vacuum of space.
