Light Flashcards
Density:
The amount of molecules in an area
Refraction
When light passes through and reflects of water and slows down and distorts objects
Transverse wave
Waves that move up and down at a 90 degree angle
Longitudinal wave
Compression waves that go sideways instead of up and down like a slinky/spring.
Velocity
The speed of something
Frequency
the rate per second of a vibration constituting a wave, either in a material (as in sound waves), or in an electromagnetic field (as in radio waves and light)
Wavelength
the distance between successive crests of a wave, especially points in a sound wave or electromagnetic wave.
Crest
Crests and troughs in a transverse wave. (Up and down)
Transparent
allowing light to pass through so that objects behind can be distinctly seen.
Translucent
(of a substance) allowing light, but not detailed shapes, to pass through; semi-transparent.
Opaque
not able to be seen through; not transparent.
Refraction
the fact or phenomenon of light, radio waves, etc. being deflected in passing obliquely through the interface between one medium and another or through a medium of varying density.
Bending
shape or force (something straight) into a curve or angle.
Total internal reflection
the complete reflection of a light ray reaching an interface with a less dense medium when the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle.
Light
the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible.
What happens when the medium changes
More dense to less dense = away from the medium
Less dense to more dense = towards the medium
Fact:
Angle of incidence > critical angle
Prism
A triangular object that refracts light. Making a rainbow. It is translucent
Dispersion
the separation of white light into colours or of any radiation according to wavelength.
Which colour has a higher frequency.
Red has a lower frequency, violet has a higher frequency
What happens when light hits an object:
It either gets absorbed, reflected, refracted or passes through
Give examples of transperant
Window, magnifying glass, clear plastic bottle
Give some examples of translucent
Foggy glass, frosty window, tea strainer
Give some examples of opaque
Desk, phone, brick, loaf of bread
Define: Total internal reflection
when the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle and bends so far from the normal that it reflects of the less dense material.
Critical angle:
the angle of incidence beyond which rays of light passing through a denser medium to the surface of a less dense medium are no longer refracted but totally reflected.
When does total internal reflection occur
When the density that the medium is in becomes smaller when the light passes through.