Refraction — Bending at Boundaries

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 topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. 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.

📊 Refraction — Bending at Boundaries

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.