Describe the relationship between wave speed and refraction.

Wave speed and refraction are directly related; a change in wave speed as it enters a new medium causes refraction.

Refraction is a phenomenon that occurs when a wave, such as light or sound, changes direction as it passes from one medium to another. This change in direction is due to a change in the wave's speed. The relationship between wave speed and refraction is governed by Snell's Law, which states that the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is equal to the ratio of the velocities of the wave in the two different media.

When a wave enters a new medium at an angle, the change in speed causes the wave to change direction. If the wave slows down, it bends towards the normal (the line perpendicular to the boundary between the two media). Conversely, if the wave speeds up, it bends away from the normal. This bending of the wave is what we refer to as refraction.

The degree of refraction depends on the difference in wave speed between the two media. The greater the difference, the more the wave is refracted. For example, light waves travel slower in water than in air, which is why objects under water appear distorted or in a different location when viewed from above the water's surface.

In summary, wave speed and refraction are intrinsically linked. A change in wave speed as it moves from one medium to another causes the wave to change direction, a phenomenon known as refraction. The degree of this change in direction, or refraction, is directly proportional to the difference in wave speed between the two media. Understanding this relationship is fundamental to many areas of physics, including optics and wave theory.