H556 Exploring Physics OCR A-Level Physics (Paper 2) Exam Practice Questions

The principle of superposition states that when two or more waves overlap, the resultant displacement at any point is the vector sum of the displacements due to each individual wave.

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Coherent sources are sources of waves that have a constant phase difference and the same frequency, which allows for stable interference patterns.

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Diffraction is the bending of waves around obstacles and the spreading out of waves when they pass through small openings.

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A diffraction grating consists of many equally spaced slits that diffract light into several beams. The interference of these beams produces a spectrum of colors or a pattern of bright and dark fringes.

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Constructive interference occurs when waves combine to produce a wave with a larger amplitude, while destructive interference occurs when waves combine to produce a wave with a smaller or zero amplitude.

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Snells Law states that the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is constant and is equal to the refractive index of the medium.

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The critical angle is the angle of incidence above which total internal reflection occurs when light travels from a medium with a higher refractive index to a medium with a lower refractive index.

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Total internal reflection is the phenomenon where light is completely reflected back into a medium when it hits the boundary at an angle greater than the critical angle.

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