Which of the following best describes what happens to the wave as it enters medium 2?
- The wavelength decreases.
- The frequency increases.
- The wavelength increases.
- The frequency decreases.
Show Worked Solution
- The light ray for the wave can be drawn as seen in the diagram below:
- As the wave enters medium 2, the wave refracts away from the normal. This indicates that the wave is speeding up.
- The frequency of the wave does not change when it enters a new medium. Therefore, as \(v = f\lambda\), the wavelength of the wave \(\lambda)\) must increase as the velocity increases.
\(\Rightarrow C\)