31.0k views
1 vote
When light travels from air into water, A) its velocity, wavelength and frequency all change. B) its velocity changes, but its frequency and wavelength do not change. C) its frequency changes, but its velocity and wavelength do not change. D) its velocity and wavelength change, but its frequency does not change. E) its wavelength changes, but its velocity and frequency do not change.

1 Answer

6 votes

Answer:

D) true. its velocity and wavelength change, but its frequency does not change

Step-by-step explanation:

Light is a traveling electromagnetic wave supported by the oscillations of the electric and magnetic fields. Let's see what happens when it passes from one medium to another. The speed of the wave when passing another medium with higher density is more absorbed by the atoms and then re-transmitted, consequently, the average time to travel a distance increases therefore the speed decreases this is also expressed in the ratio of the refractive index .

n = c / v

Let's analyze what happens with the frequency and wavelength, which are related

c = λ f

When light strikes a surface, it creates forced oscillations in the atoms of the material, in the resonance processes the frequency does not change, but we know that the speed of light decreases the only way this happens is that the wavelength changes.

Now we can examine the different statements

A) False. the frequency does not change

B) False. The wavelength changes

C) False. Frequency does not change

D) true. It is agreed by the above

E) False. Speed ​​changes

User SpazzMarticus
by
6.2k points