Final answer:
The reflectance coefficient represents the proportion of the incident wave reflected off a surface, while the transmittance coefficient represents the proportion of the incident wave transmitted through a surface. The values of the reflectance and transmittance coefficients add up to unity (1) due to the law of conservation of energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reflectance coefficient, denoted as R, represents the proportion of the incident wave that is reflected off a surface. It is calculated by dividing the intensity of the reflected wave by the intensity of the incident wave. Mathematically, it can be expressed as:
R = (Intensity of Reflected Wave) / (Intensity of Incident Wave)
The transmittance coefficient, denoted as T, represents the proportion of the incident wave that is transmitted through a surface. It is calculated by dividing the intensity of the transmitted wave by the intensity of the incident wave. Mathematically, it can be expressed as:
T = (Intensity of Transmitted Wave)/(Intensity of Incident Wave)
To prove that the values of reflectance and transmittance coefficients add up to unity (1), we can use the law of conservation of energy. According to this law, the total energy of a system remains constant. In the case of waves, this implies that the sum of the reflected and transmitted intensities must equal the incident intensity:
R + T = 1