Question

A wave or a pulse is reflected normally from the surface of a denser medium back into the rarer medium. The phase change caused by the reflection-

• A. $0$
• B. $\pi /2$
• C. $\pi$
• D. $3\pi /2$

Answer 1

The correct option is C $\pi$

When a wave or a pulse is reflected normally from the surface of a denser medium back into the rarer medium, then tere is a phase difference of $\pi$. According to electromagnetic theory When a light beam falls on a boundary of two media, then one part of it will be reflected and other part will be refracted. If refractive index of a medium, where the electromagnetic wave is refracted, is greater than the medium incident, then phase of reflected ray will be reverse with respect to the incident beam. As a result of which the wave suffers a phase change of $\pi$.