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ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (READ PAGES 456-461)
1.Visual Check (458) Do tires usually absorb, transmit, or reflect light waves? Explain your answer.
2. Reading Check (458) Give one reason why the energy carried by sound waves decreases as those sound waves travel through air.
3. Key Concept Check (458) What are three ways that waves interact with matter?
4. Reading Check (459) What is the Law of Reflection?
5. Key Concept Check (461) Compare and contrast reflection, refraction, and diffraction.
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1. Tires usually absorb light waves. Black rubber absorbs most visible wavelengths and converts the energy to heat; only a small amount is reflected (diffusely), and very little is transmitted through the tire.
2. One reason is absorption by the air: as sound waves travel they transfer energy to air molecules (viscous and thermal losses), converting sound energy into heat. (Also geometric spreading reduces intensity with distance.)
3. Three ways waves interact with matter: reflection (bounce off a surface), transmission/refraction (pass into another medium and often change direction), and absorption (energy is taken up by the material, usually converted to heat).
4. The Law of Reflection: the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection; both angles are measured from the normal to the reflecting surface and the incident ray, the normal, and the reflected ray lie in the same plane.
5. Comparison of reflection, refraction, and diffraction:
- Reflection: wave bounces off a boundary back into the original medium (angle in = angle out). Example: mirror.
- Refraction: wave changes direction when it enters a different medium because its speed (and wavelength) changes; described by Snell’s law. Example: a straw appearing bent in water.
- Diffraction: wave spreads out when it passes around an obstacle or through an aperture, most noticeable when the obstacle/aperture size is comparable to the wavelength. Example: sound heard around a corner or light spreading after a slit.
Contrast points: reflection redirects without entering a new medium, refraction requires crossing into a different medium and involves a speed change, and diffraction involves spreading around edges and does not require a boundary between different media.
2. One reason is absorption by the air: as sound waves travel they transfer energy to air molecules (viscous and thermal losses), converting sound energy into heat. (Also geometric spreading reduces intensity with distance.)
3. Three ways waves interact with matter: reflection (bounce off a surface), transmission/refraction (pass into another medium and often change direction), and absorption (energy is taken up by the material, usually converted to heat).
4. The Law of Reflection: the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection; both angles are measured from the normal to the reflecting surface and the incident ray, the normal, and the reflected ray lie in the same plane.
5. Comparison of reflection, refraction, and diffraction:
- Reflection: wave bounces off a boundary back into the original medium (angle in = angle out). Example: mirror.
- Refraction: wave changes direction when it enters a different medium because its speed (and wavelength) changes; described by Snell’s law. Example: a straw appearing bent in water.
- Diffraction: wave spreads out when it passes around an obstacle or through an aperture, most noticeable when the obstacle/aperture size is comparable to the wavelength. Example: sound heard around a corner or light spreading after a slit.
Contrast points: reflection redirects without entering a new medium, refraction requires crossing into a different medium and involves a speed change, and diffraction involves spreading around edges and does not require a boundary between different media.
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