Question

When a travelling wave is reflected at a rigid boundary the reflected wave has ________. But reflection at an open boundary has_________.

• A. phase reversal
• B. no phase change.

Answer 1

Traveling-wave:

1. A wave is a disturbance in a medium that travels while imparting momentum and energy to the medium without causing it to move.
2. A traveling wave is a wave that moves between its maximum and minimum amplitude levels via a medium.

Reflection of Waves:

1. The change in direction of a wave as it contacts the contact between two materials is known as reflection.
2. The phenomenon of a wave rebounding back as it reaches an interface between two mediums is known as the reflection of waves.
3. In the case of a moving wave, reflection at a hard boundary induces phase reversal or a 180-degree phase shift.

When a traveling wave is reflected at a rigid boundary the reflected wave has phase reversal. But reflection at an open boundary has no phase change.