All waves will reflect and refract in the right circumstances. The reflection and refraction of light explains how people see images, colour and even optical illusions.
Different materials have different densities. Light waves may change direction at the boundary between two transparent materials. refractionProcess by which a wave changes speed and sometimes direction upon entering a denser or less dense medium, eg a light ray changes direction when refracted by a lens. is the change in direction of a wave at such a boundary.
It is important to be able to draw ray diagramDiagram that represents the direction and angle of travel of light. to show the refraction of a light ray at a boundary.
Refraction can cause optical illusions as the light waves appear to come from a different position to their actual source.
Explaining refraction
Glass is denser than air, so a light ray passing from air into glass slows down. If the ray meets the boundary at an angle to the normalAn imaginary but useful line at right angles to the boundary between air/glass. All angles are measured to this line., it bends towards the normal.
The reverse is also true. A light ray speeds up as it passes from glass into air, and bends away from the normal by the same angle.
Slide 1 of 3, Light ray hits glass block at right angles to surface. Wave slows, its wavelength decreases as it enters glass. As wave returns to air, speed and wavelength increase to original values.,