A wave travelling from water to glass suffers a change in its speed at the common boundary. Which of the following properties explains this observation?
A wave travelling from water to glass suffers a change in its speed at the common boundary. Which of the following properties explains this observation?
Answer Details
The property that explains the observation of a wave changing its speed when travelling from water to glass at the common boundary is refraction. Refraction occurs when a wave crosses the boundary between two media with different densities, causing a change in its speed and direction. In this case, the speed of the wave changes because the density of the medium changes, as glass is denser than water. This change in speed causes the wave to bend or change direction. Therefore, refraction is the property that explains the observation of a wave changing its speed at the common boundary between water and glass.