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Following Light Across a Liquid Boundary 4 questions
Following Light Across a Liquid Boundary
Base your answers on the information provided and your knowledge of chemistry. Use the 2025 Chemistry Reference Tables as needed.
A display sends the same steady beam from air into a clear liquid. The model does not absorb or emit light. A wave’s frequency equals its speed divided by its wavelength. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter.
| Part of path | Wave speed (m/s) | Wavelength (nm) |
|---|---|---|
| In air before the liquid | 3.0 × 108 | 600 |
| In the liquid | 2.0 × 108 | 400 |
Question 1
Which quantities both decrease when the beam enters the liquid?
- Wave speed and wavelength
- Wavelength and frequency
- Wave speed and frequency
- Frequency and photon energy
Question 2
Calculate the frequency before and after the boundary. Compare the results.
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In the display, color corresponds to frequency. Photon energy is proportional to frequency. The beam then exits the liquid and returns to air.
Question 3
A student says the photons have more energy inside the liquid because the wavelength is shorter there. Evaluate the claim with the two speed records.
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Question 4
Predict the wavelength just after the beam returns to air. Explain what changes at the boundary.
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