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MCAT Self Study > Light and Optics > Flashcards

Light and Optics Flashcards

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MCAT flashcards
1
Q

What is the most fundamental equation for speed of waves?

A

c= frequency (wavelength)

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2
Q

Is period of a wave more related to the frequency or the wavelength?

A

f= 1/T. Therefore frequency is related to the period.

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3
Q

What is the spectrum of visible light?

A

700 nm with Red

400 nm with Violet

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4
Q

What formula is used to calculate the energy of a wave?

A

Energy = Plank’s Constant (Frequency)

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5
Q

Describe Electromagnetic waves

A

transverse waves with vertical: electric and longitudinal as magnetic.

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6
Q

What is plane polarized light?

A

Only a certain angle of light is able to pass through the “polarized” lens preventing the other angle from penetrating.

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7
Q

What is the law of reflection?

A

The angle at which the light arrives at a medium is the angle at which the light will leave.

angle1=angle2.

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8
Q

What is the formula for the index of refraction?

A

n = c/v

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9
Q

Relate the index of fraction with wavelength.

A

n1/ n2 = wavelength2 / wavelength1.

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10
Q

What is Snell’s Law?

A

n1 sinangle1 = n2sinangle2

n2>n1 then the angle bends towards the normal
n1>n2 then the angle bends away from the normal

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11
Q

What is the formula for the critical angle?

A

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.

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12
Q

What is dispersion?

A

bending of white light to show the prism of light.

shorter wavelength means more bending. ROYGBIV from top down.

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13
Q

Basic lens rules

A 
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
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14
Q

Concave mirrors are the same thing as

A

Converging mirrors

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15
Q

Convex mirrors are the same thing as

A

diverging mirrors

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16
Q

Describe plane mirrors

A

They’re the mirrors in your bathroom. Virtual, upright, and the same height.

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17
Q

Describe convex mirrors

A

Diverging mirrors are always virtual, upright, but smaller. Always inside the focal length.

18
Q

What is the formula for radius of curvature?

A

2f= r

19
Q

What are the converging mirror shortcuts?

A
  1. If the object is outside of R, then the image must be in between R and F– inverted, real, and the smaller.
  2. If the object is on R, then the image is also located on R– inverted, real, the same size.
  3. If the object is between r and f then the image is outside of R– inverted, real, and larger.
  4. If the object is located ON the focal point then no image forms.
  5. If the object is inside the focal length then the image is on the other side– virtual, large, upright.
20
Q

Describe converging lens

A

Same thing as a convex lens. ALWAYS has a positive focal point.

21
Q

Describe diverging lens

A

Same thing as a concave lens. ALWAYS has a negative focal point. Same as with mirrors, create a smaller, upright, virtual image.

22
Q

What are the converging lens shortcuts?

A
  1. If the object is outside R then the object is real, inverted, smaller.
  2. If the object is in f then the image is virtual, upright, and larger.
23
Q

What is the formula for magnification?

A 
m = -new height/ old height. 
m = -new length/ old length. 
m= -new image/ old image.
24
Q

How to attack lens problems

A
  1. Identify the system of the lens. Remember concave mirrors and convex lens are CONVERGING.
  2. 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.
  3. Double check with i= o(f)/ o-f
25
Q

Describe the converging system for mirrors and lenses.

A

Concave mirrors

Convex lenses

26
Q

Describe the diverging system for mirrors and lenses.

A

Convex mirrors

Concave lenses.

27
Q

What is the formula for the diopter?

A

Diopter is 1 over the focal length. Focal length must be in meters.

28
Q

What is spherical Lens Aberrations?

A

develop when a misshapen lens still has cylindrical symmetry with respect to the optical axis, but has not been properly rounded; the image is clear when viewed through the center of the lens, but it becomes distorted as one moves the image off of the optical axis.

29
Q

What is Astigmatic aberrations?

A

appear in a lens whose shape is neither properly rounded nor cylindrically symmetric. In this case, the image becomes blurred and distorted, regardless of the objects orientation. The two aforementioned aberrations can happen with any type of light passing through the lens, even monochromatic light.

30
Q

What is chromatic aberration?

A

occur because of differences in wavelengths for different colors of light

31
Q

Relate diopter and bending light.

A

The greater the diopter the more it will bend light.

32
Q

How do you calculate combined diopter power?

A

add the two system diopters together.

33
Q

How do you calculate the overall magnification of multiple lens systems?

A

It is the magnification product of all the lenses.

34
Q

What is constructive interference?

A

When two or more waves overlap in phase. The regions of constructive interference are often referred to as intensity maxima.

35
Q

What is destructive interference?

A

When the waves are completely out of phase (sometimes referred to as “180° out of phase”).

36
Q

What is the equation for Young’s double slit ?

A

The space between two adjacent maxima is equal to wavelength (length between screens) / distance between slits.

37
Q

Describe the wave interference

A

The bright regions are constructive interference or where two waves meet.

The dark regions are destructive interference or meeting of constructive and destructive waves.

38
Q

Describe thin film refraction.

A

Light entering oil will either reflect of refract. Of the refracted rays more will reflect and refract on the water/oil layer. IF the refracted rays are in sync then color is produced. If the refracted rays are out of sync then no color is produced.

ONLY WORKS IF the area before has a lower n value.

39
Q

Relate Double slit and defraction grating.

A

the bright spots of the interference pattern in the diffraction grating experiment will be more intense and spaced farther apart than in the double-slit experiment.

40
Q

Describe single slit diffraction.

A

If the wave is smaller than the hole then there is more spread out.

MCAT Self Study (53 decks)

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