Relation between ray and wave front isa)Rays are at acute angle to wave frontb)Rays are parallel to wave frontc)Rays are perpendicular to wave frontd)Rays are tangential to wave frontCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Question

Answer

Rays are always perpendicular to the wave fronts.... wave fronts move right angles to it self...

Answer

A wave front is a line representing all parts of a wave that are in phase and an equal number of wavelengths from the source of the wave. A ray is a line extending outward from the source and representing the direction of propagation of the wave at any point along it. Rays are perpendicular to wave fronts.

Answer

The correct answer is option 'C': Rays are perpendicular to wave front.

A wave front is a surface that connects all the points in a wave that are in the same phase. It represents the locus of all particles in a medium that are vibrating in the same phase at a given instant of time. On the other hand, a ray is a line that represents the direction in which the wave is propagating.

To understand the relation between rays and wave fronts, let's consider a simple example of a plane wave propagating through a medium. In this case, the wave fronts are planes that are perpendicular to the direction of propagation.

1. Rays are perpendicular to wave fronts:
When a wave propagates through a medium, the rays are perpendicular to the wave fronts. This means that the direction of propagation of the wave is perpendicular to the surfaces representing the wave fronts. This can be visualized by considering a series of wave fronts as planes perpendicular to the direction of the wave propagation, and the rays as lines that are perpendicular to these planes.

2. Rays are tangential to wave fronts:
In some cases, such as the propagation of light waves through a homogeneous medium, the rays can be considered as tangents to the wave fronts. This means that the direction of propagation of the wave is tangent to the surfaces representing the wave fronts. This can be understood by considering the wave fronts as spherical surfaces centered on the source of the wave, and the rays as lines tangent to these spherical surfaces.

It is important to note that the relation between rays and wave fronts can vary depending on the nature of the wave and the medium through which it is propagating. In general, for most wave phenomena, the rays are perpendicular to the wave fronts. However, there are exceptions, such as in the case of light waves propagating through a homogeneous medium.

In conclusion, the correct relation between rays and wave fronts is that the rays are perpendicular to the wave fronts, except in certain cases where they can be considered as tangents to the wave fronts.

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