Wave behaviour
- 2. Reflection Reflection occurs when waves strike an impervious barrier. If the barrier is straight or flat, then the waves will reflect at the same angle they struck it. The angle of incidence = the angle of reflection
- 3. Reflection When a wave strikes a concave barrier they become curved and are made to converge:
- 4. Reflection When waves strike a convex barrier they are made to diverge, (spread out).
- 5. Refraction If waves enter shallower water, they travel more slowly. If they enter the shallower water at an angle to their direction of movement, they will refract. The waves bend towards the normal on entering shallower water and away from the normal on entering deeper water.
- 6. Diffraction Diffraction occurs when waves pass through a gap in a boundary. If the gap is larger than the wavelength, most of the waves pass through the gap and continue in a straight line.
- 7. Diffraction If the gap in the boundary is equal to the wavelength, the waves radiate and no longer travel in a straight line; this is called Diffraction. Why do you think this might be important when designing a harbour?