Reflection of light on a water tank - Essay Example

Sur Lecturer Reflection of light on a water tank Reflection is the change of wave front direction at an interface between two different media, so that the wave returns to the medium where it originated. For example reflection observed in light and water waves. The law of reflection asserts that “for specular reflection, the angle at which the wave is incident on the surface equals the angle at which it is reflected” (Anne 20). This paper seeks to give a lab report on the "Reflection of light on a water tank".

It will explain what reflection of light is, how it happens, and why it happens. Reflection of light on a water tank involves change in wave direction due to bouncing off a barrier. From the reflection experiment, light typically shined upon the water and illuminated a white sheet of paper directly placed below the tank. Some portion of light was absorbed by water as the light passes through the tank. The wave troughs were represented by the bright spots while the wave crests represented by the dark spots.

The bright and dark spots move as the waves move through the tank. By watching the movement of bright and dark spots, the behavior of waves can be observed when they encounter an obstacle anywhere along their path. A boundary behavior of water waves is observed in the water tank when the tank is partitioned into a shallow and a deep section. Waves that travel to the shallow end from the deep end can be seen to bend, decrease wavelength, and slow down, and the reverse is also true.Works CitedAnne, Pilger Mary.

Science Experiments Index for Young People, London: Libraries Unlimited,2005