6.2.1

Waves at a Boundary

Test yourself

Waves at a Boundary

When waves travel from one medium to another, their speed and wavelength change but their frequency stays the same.

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Speed and wavelength change

  • The speed of a wave changes when it travels from one medium to another.
  • The wavelength of a wave also changes when it travels from one medium to another.
  • The speed and the wavelength are directly proportional:
    • If the speed doubles, the wavelength doubles.
    • If the speed halves, the wavelength halves.
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Frequency is unchanged

  • The frequency of the wave does not change because the source is producing the same number of oscillations (vibrations) per second.

Jump to other topics

1Energy

2Electricity

3Particle Model of Matter

4Atoms & Radiation

5Forces

5.1Basics of Motion

5.2Forces

5.3Effects of Forces

5.4Pressure

6Waves

7Magnetism

8Astrophysics

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