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[Physltest] [Phys-L] Re: flipping over upon reflection



I don't understand the difference between "stretches more" and "has a
greater displacement". Please explain in more detail.

Daniel Crowe
Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
Ardmore Regional Center
dcrowe@sotc.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Forum for Physics Educators [mailto:PHYS-L@list1.ucc.nau.edu] On
Behalf Of Edmiston, Mike
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 10:24 AM
To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
Subject: Re: [PHYS-L] flipping over upon reflection

For waves in elastic mediums, here is the way I try to make it more
clear to students...

At the discontinuity, if the new medium is more massive, the original
medium stretches more than usual as it tugs on the new medium. When the
original medium "snaps back," the overstretching causes it to snap back
further than usual, leading to an inverted reflected wave.

If the new medium is less massive, the end of the original medium has a
greater displacement than usual. This overshooting gives rise to a
reflected wave that is not inverted.

If the new medium matches the old medium, there is no discontinuity, and
there is no reflected wave.

Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry and Physics
Bluffton University
Bluffton, OH 45817
(419)-358-3270
edmiston@bluffton.edu
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