Interactive Simulator · Bounce and Bend

Reflection and Refraction

At a boundary a wave does two things at once. Part reflects, leaving at the same angle it arrived, measured from the normal. Part crosses into the new material, and because it changes speed there it changes direction. Entering a slower material it bends toward the normal, so the refraction angle is smaller than the incidence angle. Use the protractor to set the angle and the speed change, and hit the target refraction angle.

Mission Make the wave refract at 25° from the normal. Round 1Streak 0Best 0
Entering a slower material, the wave bends:
angle of incidence50°
angle of reflection50°
angle of refraction32°
sin θ₂ = (v₂ / v₁) sin θ₁; reflection angle equals incidence.