Question

When light waves reflect from media in which the speed of light is slower, their phase (crest or trough) is _________________

Answer 1

@Kainui

Answer 2

What do you notice in below mechanical wave reflection ?

http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/reflect/hard.gif

Answer 3

shifts

Answer 4

The brightest, clearest diffraction pattern is created with a-----------

Answer 5

The reflected wave flips over if the boundary is denser

Answer 6

So the phase difference between incident and reflected Waves is 180

Answer 7

I suggest you open a new post for new question

Answer 8

oh ok

Answer 9

but if the boundary is not denser then can we flip the ways too?

Answer 10

Here is an example when the wave goes into a less denser medium
http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/reflect/reflect2.gif

Answer 11

Notice there is no phase difference now

Answer 12

yea there is not flips or anything just keep continuing