Combined Physics - 6.6

Question 1

What two types of wave are there?

Answer 1

Transverse or longitudinal

Question 2

Give an example of a transverse wave

Answer 2

• All electromagnetic waves
• A ripple on water
• A wave on a string

Question 3

Give an example of a longitudinal wave

Answer 3

• Sound waves in air
• Ultrasound
• Shock waves (e.g. some seismic waves)

Question 4

What vibrations do transverse waves have?

Answer 4

Perpendicular (the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer)

Question 5

What vibrations do longitudinal waves have?

Answer 5

Parallel (the oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer)

Question 6

What do longitudinal waves show areas of?

Answer 6

Compression and rarefaction

Question 7

What are waves?

Answer 7

Transfers of energy (the particles remain in the same place)

Question 8

Describe the wave feature: amplitude

Answer 8

The maximum displacement of a point on the wave from its undisturbed position

Question 9

Describe the wave feature: wavelength

Answer 9

The distance between the same point on two adjacent waves

Question 10

Describe the wave feature: frequency

Answer 10

The number of complete waves passing a certain point in a second (1 Hz is 1 wave per second)

Question 11

Describe the wave feature: period

Answer 11

The amount of time taken for a full cycle of the wave

Question 12

What is wave speed?

Answer 12

The speed at which the energy is transferred (or the wave moves) through a medium

Question 13

What is the wave equation all waves obey?

Answer 13

Question 14

Describe electromagnetic waves

Answer 14

Transverse waves which transfer energy from the source of the waves to an absorber

Question 15

What do electromagnetic waves form?

Answer 15

A continuous spectrum

Question 16

What velocity do electromagnetic waves travel at through a vacuum?

Answer 16

The same velocity

Question 17

List the waves of the electromagnetic spectrum in order of wavelength and frequency

Answer 17

Question 18

What EM waves can our eyes detect?

Answer 18

Visible light (only a limited range of the EM spectrum can be detected)

Question 19

What can cause EM waves being generated or absorbed over a wide frequency range?

Answer 19

Changes in atoms and the nuclei of atoms

Question 20

Where do gamma rays originate from?

Answer 20

Changes in the nucleus of an atom

Question 21

What EM waves can have hazardous effects on human body tissue?

Answer 21

Ultraviolet waves, X-rays and gamma rays

Question 22

What is a measure of the risk of harm resulting from an exposure of the body to radiation?

Answer 22

Radiation dose (sieverts (Sv))

Question 23

How may millisieverts (mSv) are in one sievert (Sv)?

Answer 23

1000 millisieverts (mSv) = 1 sievert (Sv)

Question 24

What danger does ultraviolet light pose?

Answer 24

Skin can age prematurely and increase the risk to skin cancers

Question 25

What danger do X-rays and gamma rays pose?

Answer 25

They are ionising radiation: mutations of genes and cancers

Question 26

What practical applications are there for radio waves?

Answer 26

Television and radio

Question 27

What practical applications are there for microwaves?

Answer 27

Satellite communications and cooking food

Question 28

What practical applications are there for infrared waves?

Answer 28

Electrical heaters, cooking food and infrared cameras

Question 29

What practical applications are there for visible light?

Answer 29

Fibre optics

Question 30

What practical applications are there for ultraviolet light?

Answer 30

Energy efficient lamps and sun-tanning

Question 31

What practical applications are there for X-rays and gamma rays?

Answer 31

Medical imaging and treatments