What is refraction?

Refraction refers to the change in direction of a wave, as it passes from one medium to another.


It is caused by the wave's change in speed, as the density of the medium it is passing through changes.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

Does light travel faster or slower in a more dense medium?

Light travels more slowly in a more dense medium.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

When light travels from a less dense medium into a more dense medium (e.g. from air into glass), will it bend towards or away from the normal?

It will bend towards the normal.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

What happens to the frequency of light as it passes into a more dense medium?

It will stay the same.


The density of the medium only affects the wavelength and speed, not the frequency.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

What happens to the wavelength of light as it passes into a more dense medium? 

Its wavelength will decrease as it passes into a more dense medium. 

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

Why can you see all the colours of the rainbow as white light passes through a prism?

White light contains all the different wavelengths of visible light (so all the colours of the rainbow).


As the light passes through the prism, the waves of different wavelength slow down and get refracted to different degrees, which causes them to effectively spread out, allowing you see all the different colours. 

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

On the refraction diagram above, what does A represent?

Incident ray.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

On the refraction diagram above, what does B represent?

Angle of incidence.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

On the refraction diagram above, what does C represent?

Point of incidence.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

On the refraction diagram above, what does D represent?

Angle of refraction.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

On the refraction diagram above, what does E represent?

Refracted ray.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

On the refraction diagram above, what does F represent?

Normal.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

On the refraction diagram above, what does G represent?

Emergent ray.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.