WavesDiagram

Refraction — Bending at Boundaries

Part of Reflection & RefractionGCSE Physics

This diagram covers Refraction — Bending at Boundaries within Reflection & Refraction for GCSE Physics. Revise Reflection & Refraction in Waves for GCSE Physics with 15 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 3 of 13 in this topic. Focus on the labels, the relationships between parts, and the explanation that turns the diagram into an exam-ready answer.

Topic position

Section 3 of 13

Practice

15 questions

Recall

15 flashcards

📊 Refraction — Bending at Boundaries

Refraction diagram showing light bending toward the normal when entering glass from air and bending away from the normal when entering air from glass, with angle of incidence and angle of refraction labeled

Figure 2: Refraction at an air-glass boundary — light bends toward the normal when slowing down

RULES: Fast → Slow = bends toward normal (e.g., air to glass). Slow → Fast = bends away from normal (e.g., glass to air). At 90° (perpendicular) = no bending, but speed still changes.

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Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Reflection & Refraction. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

Practice Questions for Reflection & Refraction

According to the law of reflection, the angle of incidence is:

  • A. Always 90 degrees
  • B. Greater than the angle of reflection
  • C. Equal to the angle of reflection
  • D. Measured from the reflecting surface
1 markfoundation

Explain why a ray of light bends when it passes from air into water.

3 marksstandard

Quick Recall Flashcards

Law of reflection
Angle of incidence = Angle of reflection
What is refraction?
Change in direction when light enters a different medium (due to speed change)

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