6 - Unit 3, Section 3 - Day 3

When waves interact with matter, they can:

• Be absorbed by the matter

• Bounce off the matter

• Be bent by the matter

How Waves Interact With Matter

• When a wave is absorbed by matter, its energy is transferred to the matter

• The wave's amplitude decreases

Absorption

• When a wave is reflected, it bounces off the matter in a different direction than it was originally traveling

• You can draw a perpendicular line to determine how a wave reflects

Reflection

• When a wave is refracted by matter, the wave is bent as it moves through the matter

• Objects look distorted

• It happens because light slows down as it enters the matter

Refraction