Question:

Differentiate between a wavefront and a ray.

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A wavefront shows the shape of the propagating wave, while a ray shows its direction.

Updated On: Feb 12, 2025

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Solution and Explanation

Difference Between Wavefront and Ray

A wavefront is the locus of all points that are in the same phase of vibration.
A ray is an imaginary line that represents the direction of wave propagation.
It is always perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.
It is always perpendicular to the wavefront.
Examples: Plane wavefront, spherical wavefront.
Used to represent light beams in geometrical optics.

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