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MCAT physics & math > Light and Optics > Flashcards

Light and Optics Flashcards

(101 cards)

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1
Q

Radio waves are

A

Long, low frequency

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2
Q

Gamma rays are

A

Short, high frequency

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3
Q

Order of light lowest to highest

A

Radio,microwave,infrared, visible, UV, x-ray, gamma

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4
Q

Electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum because

A

Magnetic and electric fields causes reciprocal changes in each other independent of matter

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5
Q

A=angstrom

A

10^-10 m

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6
Q

Speed of light

A

c=3 x 10^8

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7
Q

Speed equation

A

c=f(wavelength)

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8
Q

Red light wavelength

A

400 nm

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9
Q

Violet light wavelength

A

700 nm

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10
Q

Blackbody

A

Ideal absorber of all wavelengths that would appear completely black at a lower temp than surroundings

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11
Q

Rectilinear propagation

A

When travels through a homogeneous medium, it travels in a straight line

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12
Q

Reflection

A

Rebounding of incident light waves at a boundary of a medium

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13
Q

Law of reflection

A

Angle 1=Angle 2

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14
Q

Normal

A

Line drawn perpendicular to the boundary of a medium

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15
Q

Real image

A

If light actually converges at the position of the image

Can be projected on a screen

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16
Q

Virtual image

A

If light only appears to be coming from the position of the image, but doesn’t converge there

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17
Q

Plane mirror

A

Flat and reflective, causes no convergence or divergence of reflected light ray

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18
Q

Plane mirrors always create

A

Virtual images, because the light doesn’t converge

Create the appearance of light rays originating from behind the mirrored surface

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19
Q

O

A

Object

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20
Q

I

A

Virtual reflected image

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21
Q

Center of curvature

A

C= point on the optical axis located at a distance equal to the radius of curvature from the vertex of the mirror
(If it were a complete sphere)

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22
Q

Concave surface

A

Inside sphere

Concave like looking into a cave

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23
Q

Convex

A

Looking on the outside of a sphere

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24
Q

Where is the center of curvature for a concave surface

A

In front of the mirror

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25
Where is the center of curvature for a convex mirror?
Behind the mirror
26
Converging mirrors
Concave
27
Diverging mirrors
Convex
28
Lenses- converging lens
Convex
29
Lenses-diverging lens
Concave
30
focal length
f=distance between focal point (F) and the mirror
31
f for all spherical mirrors
f=r/2
32
o
distance between object and mirror
33
i
distance between image and mirror
34
Relationship of focal length and distances
1/f=1/o + 1/i=2/r
35
Image with positive distance (i)
Real image (in front of the mirror)
36
Image with negative distance (i)
Virtual distance (behind mirror)
37
Plane mirrors have what kind of focal length
infinitely large
38
Plane mirrors have what kind of radius and
Infinite
39
What is the image distance for plane mirrors
i= -o Same distance in front as behind
40
Magnification
m= -i/o
41
Negative magnification
inverted image
42
Positive magnification
Upright image
43
If |m| is less than one
Image is smaller than object
44
If |m| is larger than one
Image is larger than object
45
If |m| =1
Image is the same size as the object
46
When the object is at the focal point
Reflected rays are parallel and the image is at infinityy
47
If object is outside the focal point of a concave mirror
The image is real, inverted, and magnified
48
If the object is inside focal point of a concave mirror
Image is behind mirror, enlarged, and virtual
49
For a concave mirror, a light ray that is reflected parallel to the mirror
The light is reflected back through the focal point
50
For a concave mirror, light that is reflected through the focal point
Is reflected parallel to the mirror
51
For a concave mirror, light that is reflected at the axis intersection of the mirror,
Is reflected back with the same angle from the normal
52
Image is
Where the reflected light converges
53
A convex mirror only forms
A virtual, upright, reduced image
54
Focal length for converging mirrors and lenses
Positive
55
Focal length for diverging mirrors and lenses
Always be negative
56
When would focal length and radius be negative
Convex, diverging lens
57
Converging lenses or mirror, Inverted images are always (IR)
real
58
Converging lenses or mirror, upright images are always (UV)
virtual
59
Refraction
Bending of light as it passes from one medium to another and changes speed
60
Index of refraction
n=c/v n=index of refraction
61
Snell's law
n1sin1=n2sin2
62
When light enters medium with a higher index of refraction
Bends towards normal
63
When light enters medium with a lower index of refraction
Bends away from normal
64
Critical angle (thetac)
Where refracted angle 2=90 degrees
65
Critical angle equation
Angle c=sin ^-1 (n2/n1
66
Total internal reflection
All light incident on a boundary is reflected back into the original material With any angle greater than critical angle
67
When does total internal reflection occur?
When moving from a medium with a higher refractive index to a lower one
68
Lenses
Two surfaces that affect light path and 2 focal points
69
Converging lenses are
Thicker at the center
70
Diverging lenses are
Thinner at the centre
71
Parallel lines into a converging lens will
Converge
72
Parallel lines into a diverging lens will
Diverge
73
Lensmaker's equation
1/f=(n-1)(1/r1-1/r2)
74
What lens has a negative focal length and radius?
Concave
75
What lens has a positive focal length and radius?
Convex
76
If a ray enters the center of a lens
It continues straight through with no diffraction
77
Ray parallel to axis on lens
Will refract trhough focal point on other side of lens
78
Ray through focal point before lens
Refracts parallel to the axis
79
Real side of a lens
Opposite of where it goes in, where the light goes after interaction
80
Virtual side of lens
Side same as light source
81
A convex lens is a
converging lens
82
A concave lens is a
Diverging lens
83
Power
P=1/f | in diopters
84
Nearsightedness
Myopia
85
Farsightedness
Hyperopia
86
Multiple lens focal lengths
1/f=1/f1 + 1/f2 + 1/f3...
87
Equivalent power of multiple lenses
P=P1 + P2 + P3
88
Multiplication of multiple lenses
m=m1 x m2 x m3
89
Spherical aberration
Blurring of the periphery of an image as result of inadequate reflection of parallel beads at the edge of a lens- multiple images with different image distances
90
Because index of refraction affects speed of light, it also affects
Wavelength
91
Dispersion
When various wavelengths of light separate from each other
92
What does not change as light enters a medium with different index of refraction
Frequency
93
What light experiences the least amount of refraction through a prism?
Red, smaller wavelength (slower)
94
Diffraction
Spreading out of light as it passes through a narrow opening or around and obstacle
95
As light moves through a very small slit it,
Diffracts, spreads out
96
Location of dark fringes equation
asin=n(wavelength) a=width of slit angle=dark fringe to lens center and axis n=number of fringe
97
Interference
Displacement of waves added together
98
Where are bright fringes
Halfway between dark fringes
99
Equation for double slip dark fringe position
dsin=(n +1/2)(wavelength) d=distance between 2 slits
100
Diffraction grating
Multiple slits arranged in patterns -creates many colors- interference of reflected rays
101
Plane polarized (linearly polarized) light
Light in which electric fields of all waves are oriented in the same direction - stereoisomers

MCAT physics & math (9 decks)

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