Reflection, Refraction and Diffraction

1 of 9 © Boardworks Ltd 2013

What happens when waves hit a surface?
When electromagnetic (EM) waves hit a surface, they can be
reflected, absorbed or transmitted.
How the waves behave depends on
their energy and the type of material
they interact with.
For example, light waves are
reflected by skin, but X-rays
transmitted through skin.
If electromagnetic waves are
absorbed, some of their energy
is transferred to the material.
This usually increases the
temperature of the material.

2 of 9 © Boardworks Ltd 2013

Investigating reflection

3 of 9 © Boardworks Ltd 2013

What is refraction?
The straw appears to be bent in the liquid.
What is causing this effect?
As the light crosses the boundary between
fluid and glass, it is bent, producing a
distorted image.
This known as refraction.

Spear fishing has been used for

centuries and is still practiced
by subsistence communities.
To accurately spear the fish,
fishermen learn to aim a short distance behind the fish’s
image, in order to compensate for the effect of refraction.

4 of 9 © Boardworks Ltd 2013

Refraction in a glass block

5 of 9 © Boardworks Ltd 2013

Understanding why light refracts

6 of 9 © Boardworks Ltd 2013

What is diffraction?
Diffraction is a property of all
waves, which can be shown
by water waves in a ripple tank.
Here, the waves travel along
until they reach a gap.
The width of the gap is similar
to the wavelength of the waves.
The waves pass through
the gap and spread out.
This is diffraction.
So, when radio waves travel
past an obstacle or through
a narrow gap, they bend or
spread out due to diffraction.

7 of 9 © Boardworks Ltd 2013

How does wavelength affect diffraction?
The amount of diffraction
depends on how the
wavelength compares with the
size of the gap.
What happens if the
wavelength is much smaller
than the width of the gap?
In this case, only the edges of
the wave front are diffracted.

Maximum diffraction occurs

when the wavelength is
similar to the gap size.

8 of 9 © Boardworks Ltd 2013

Why can I receive radio but not TV?

9 of 9 © Boardworks Ltd 2013