Abstract
In this chapter, we study dispersive waves. Examples of these are the waves on the surface of water and the electromagnetic waves in a transparent medium. Dispersive waves, when monochromatic, propagate with a phase velocity that depends on wavelength, where they change shape while they propagate if they are not monochromatic. We introduce the concepts of group velocity and energy propagation velocity. We see how light velocities have been measured and study the phenomena of reflection, refraction and dispersion. We also discuss the physical origin of the refractive index.
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Bettini, A. (2017). Dispersion. In: A Course in Classical Physics 4 - Waves and Light. Undergraduate Lecture Notes in Physics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48329-0_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48329-0_4
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Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-48328-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-48329-0
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