Light and Optics Flashcards
What is the most fundamental equation for speed of waves?
c= frequency (wavelength)
Is period of a wave more related to the frequency or the wavelength?
f= 1/T. Therefore frequency is related to the period.
What is the spectrum of visible light?
700 nm with Red
400 nm with Violet
What formula is used to calculate the energy of a wave?
Energy = Plank’s Constant (Frequency)
Describe Electromagnetic waves
transverse waves with vertical: electric and longitudinal as magnetic.
What is plane polarized light?
Only a certain angle of light is able to pass through the “polarized” lens preventing the other angle from penetrating.
What is the law of reflection?
The angle at which the light arrives at a medium is the angle at which the light will leave.
angle1=angle2.
What is the formula for the index of refraction?
n = c/v
Relate the index of fraction with wavelength.
n1/ n2 = wavelength2 / wavelength1.
What is Snell’s Law?
n1 sinangle1 = n2sinangle2
n2>n1 then the angle bends towards the normal
n1>n2 then the angle bends away from the normal
What is the formula for the critical angle?
CA= n (less dense)/ n (more dense)
Only works if light travels from a high n to a low n.
If you go greater the the critical angle, then it comes reflected light.
What is dispersion?
bending of white light to show the prism of light.
shorter wavelength means more bending. ROYGBIV from top down.
Basic lens rules
f is positive for converging lens/mirrors f is negative for diverging lens/mirrors s is positive on the left s is negative on the right s' on the left is real and positive s' on the right is virtual and negative
Concave mirrors are the same thing as
Converging mirrors
Convex mirrors are the same thing as
diverging mirrors
Describe plane mirrors
They’re the mirrors in your bathroom. Virtual, upright, and the same height.
Describe convex mirrors
Diverging mirrors are always virtual, upright, but smaller. Always inside the focal length.
What is the formula for radius of curvature?
2f= r
What are the converging mirror shortcuts?
- If the object is outside of R, then the image must be in between R and F– inverted, real, and the smaller.
- If the object is on R, then the image is also located on R– inverted, real, the same size.
- If the object is between r and f then the image is outside of R– inverted, real, and larger.
- If the object is located ON the focal point then no image forms.
- If the object is inside the focal length then the image is on the other side– virtual, large, upright.
Describe converging lens
Same thing as a convex lens. ALWAYS has a positive focal point.
Describe diverging lens
Same thing as a concave lens. ALWAYS has a negative focal point. Same as with mirrors, create a smaller, upright, virtual image.
What are the converging lens shortcuts?
- If the object is outside R then the object is real, inverted, smaller.
- If the object is in f then the image is virtual, upright, and larger.
What is the formula for magnification?
m = -new height/ old height. m = -new length/ old length. m= -new image/ old image.
How to attack lens problems
- Identify the system of the lens. Remember concave mirrors and convex lens are CONVERGING.
- If the system is diverging then it is SUV(smaller, upright, and virtual) & also found in between the focal length and the object. If not, then use the converging shortcuts.
- Double check with i= o(f)/ o-f