Light : Chapter 3 - Test Prep Flashcards

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1
Q

What is reflection?

A

When light bounces off an object.

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2
Q

What is the law of reflection?

A

That a reflected wave hitting a smooth surface will bounce in a straight line, and that a reflected wave hitting an angled surface will bounce on an angle.

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3
Q

What is incidence?

A

The arrival of a beam of light at a surface.

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4
Q

What is regular reflection?

A

Reflection of a wave off of a smooth surface.

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5
Q

What is diffuse reflection?

A

Reflection of a wave off of a rough surface.

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6
Q

What are some examples of light sources?

A

Flames, lightbulbs and the sun are all light sources.

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7
Q

What are objects that produce light called?

A

Luminous objects.

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8
Q

What are objects that are visible, but do not produce light?

A

Illuminated objects.

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9
Q

True or False : Most objects are not light sources, they just reflect light.

A

True

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10
Q

What is absorption?

A

The transfer of energy carried by light waves to particles of matter.

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11
Q

Why does a flashlight beam get dimmer as it’s light moves farther away from you?

A

When the beam of light shines through air, particles in the air absorb some of the energy from the light.

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12
Q

What is scattering?

A

The interaction of light with matter causing light to change direction.

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13
Q

True or False : Light with longer wavelengths scatters more than light with shorter wavelengths.

A

False. Light with shorter wavelengths scatters more than light with longer wavelengths.

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14
Q

What is refraction?

A

The bending of a wave as it passes between two substances in which the speed of the wave differs.

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15
Q

Why does refraction occur?

A

Refraction occurs because the speed of light depends on matter/material.

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16
Q

What happens when a wave enters a new material at an angle?

A

When a wave enters a new material at an angle, the part of the wave that enters first begins traveling at a different speed than the rest of the wave.

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17
Q

How do optical illusions occur?

A

The objects underwater reflect the light in a non-straight line.

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18
Q

True or False : When white light is refracted, the amount of bending depends on the wavelength.

A

True.

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19
Q

True or False : White light cannot be separated into colors.

A

False. White light can be separated into colors.

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20
Q

True or False : Rainbows are caused by sunlight refracted in water droplets.

A

True.

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21
Q

What is diffraction?

A

The change in direction of a wave when the the wave finds an edge.

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22
Q

True or False : The amount of diffraction that occurs depends on the wavelength of the wave and the size of the barrier or opening.

A

True.

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23
Q

True or False : The greatest amount of diffraction occurs when the barrier or opening is larger than the wavelength.

A

False. The greatest amount of diffraction occurs when the barrier or opening is the same size or smaller than the wavelength.

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24
Q

True or False : Light cannot diffract much around large obstacles. This is why we cannot see through buildings.

A

True.

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25
Q

What is interference?

A

The combination of two or more waves to form a single wave.

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26
Q

What is constructive interference?

A

The wave resulting from the interference has a greater amplitude (height) than the original wave.

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27
Q

What is destructive interference?

A

The wave resulting from the interference has a smaller amplitude (height) than the original wave.

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28
Q

True or False : Interference can be observed through two small slits in a screen. The screen will show alternating light and dark bands. The light bands are caused by constructive interference, and the darker bands are caused by destructive interference.

A

True.

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29
Q

What is light?

A

A type of energy that travels through waves.

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30
Q

True or False : Light does not require matter to travel through.

A

True.

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31
Q

True or False : Light is not an electromagnetic wave.

A

False. Light is an electromagnetic wave.

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32
Q

True or False : Fields exist around certain objects.

A

True.

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33
Q

What is an electric field?

A

A field that surrounds every charged object.

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34
Q

What is a magnetic field?

A

A field that surrounds every magnet.

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35
Q

What is radiation?

A

The transfer of energy as electromagnetic (EM) waves.

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36
Q

How can an EM wave be produced?

A

An EM wave can be produced by the vibration of an electrically charged particle. When the particle vibrates, the electric field around it also vibrates, and when the electric field starts vibrating, a vibrating magnetic field is created. The vibration of the electric and magnetic field together produces an electromagnetic wave.

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37
Q

What is the speed of light?

A

About 300,000 kilometers per second.

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38
Q

True or False : Light travels faster in glass, air and other types of matter.

A

False. Light travels slower in glass, air and other types of matter. Electromagnetic waves do not need a substance to travel through (unlike other types of waves) but they can travel through many types of matter.

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39
Q

About how long does it take for light to reach the Earth from the Sun?

A

About 8.3 minutes.

40
Q

True or False : The Earth receives a large amount of light from the Sun, but only a small amount actually reaches the Earth.

A

True. The Sun sends out waves in all directions, so most of the EM waves sent to Earth by the Sun travel away into space.

41
Q

True or False : The EM waves from the Sun are actually not the major source of energy on Earth.

A

False. The EM waves from the Sun are the major source of energy on Earth.

42
Q

What process do plants use to store energy from the Sun?

A

Plants use a process called photosynthesis to store energy from the Sun.

43
Q

True or False : Sound can travel around 880,000 times faster than light.

A

False. Light can travel around 880,000 times faster than sound.

44
Q

How do animals store energy?

A

Animals store energy by eating plants or other animals that have eaten plants storing energy.

45
Q

True or False : In electromagnetic waves, electric and magnetic fields are at right angles or perpendicular. These are also perpendicular to the direction of wave motion.

A

True.

46
Q

True or False : Fields exist around certain objects and can exert a force on another object without touching it.

A

True.

47
Q

True or False : Static electricity is not caused by electric fields.

A

False. Static electricity is caused by electric fields.

48
Q

How is the speed of a wave found?

A

The speed of a wave is found by multiplying the wavelength by the frequency.

49
Q

What is the entire range of EM waves called?

A

The electromagnetic spectrum.

50
Q

True or False : The spectrum is divided into regions with no sharp divisions.

A

True.

51
Q

True or False : Radio waves have some of the longest wavelengths, but have a low frequency.

A

True.

52
Q

True or False : A radio wave is any wave with a wavelength under 30 nanometers.

A

False. A radio wave is any wave with a wavelength over 30 centimeters.

53
Q

True or False : Radio waves are used to broadcast radio signals.

A

True.

54
Q

What is modulation?

A

The varying of either the wave’s amplitude or frequency.

55
Q

What are AM waves?

A

Waves with amplitude modulation.

56
Q

What are FM waves?

A

Waves with frequency modulation.

57
Q

What are the differences between AM and FM waves?

A

AM waves have longer wavelengths and can bounce off of the atmosphere. FM waves are less affected by electrical noise, making them ideal for music.

58
Q

How do radio waves work with a TV?

A

First, the TV signals are carried by radio waves. The TV signals are broadcast with modulation. TV stations use FM waves for sound and AM waves for pictures. Some signals are transmitted to satellites orbiting Earth, then travel through cables into homes.

59
Q

True or False : Microwaves have a shorter wavelength and higher frequency than radio waves.

A

True.

60
Q

True or False : Microwaves have wavelengths between 1 millimeter and 30 centimeters.

A

True.

61
Q

How are microwaves used for communication?

A

Cell phones use microwaves to send information.

62
Q

What does radar stand for?

A

Radio Detection And Ranging.

63
Q

True or False : Police officers use radar to calculate the speed of a car and determine if a car is speeding.

A

True.

64
Q

How do infrared waves make your body feel hot?

A

Your skin absorbs infrared waves striking your body, which causes the particles in your skin to vibrate. This makes you feel an increase in body temperature.

65
Q

True or False : Very few things give of infrared waves.

A

False. Almost everything gives off infrared waves.

66
Q

True or False : Visible light cannot be seen by humans.

A

False. Visible light can be seen by humans.

67
Q

True or False : Some light from the Sun visible light.

A

True.

68
Q

True or False : The longest wavelengths are seen by humans as violet, and the shortest wavelengths are seen by humans as red.

A

False. The longest wavelengths are seen by humans as red, and the shortest wavelengths are seen by humans as violet.

69
Q

What is the range of colors called?

A

The visible spectrum.

70
Q

True or False : Ultraviolet waves affect our bodies in good and bad ways.

A

True.

71
Q

What are some bad effects of ultraviolet waves?

A

Can cause sunburn, skin cancer, wrinkles and eye damage.

72
Q

How can you protect yourself against ultraviolet waves?

A

Wear high SPF (Sun Protection Factor) sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants.

73
Q

True or False : UV waves can travel through clouds.

A

True.

74
Q

What are some of the good effects of ultraviolet waves?

A

Can kill bacteria on food and surgical tools, small amounts of UV light help your body, skin exposed to some UV light produces Vitamin D and allows for calcium to be absorbed.

75
Q

How are x-rays used?

A

Used for security cameras and in medical fields to see bones.

76
Q

How are gamma rays used?

A

Used to treat some forms of cancer and to kill harmful bacteria in food.

77
Q

What is transmission?

A

The passing of light through matter.

78
Q

What is transparent matter?

A

Matter through which visible light can easily be transmitted.

79
Q

What is translucent matter?

A

Matter that transmits light but also scatters it.

80
Q

What is opaque matter?

A

Matter that does not transmit any light.

81
Q

Why is it more difficult to see through a frosted glass window than a transparent glass window?

A

The frosted glass is transparent, and is not transmitting as much light as the transparent window.

82
Q

True or False : Light is made up of all colors.

A

True.

83
Q

True or False : The color black absorbs all light.

A

True.

84
Q

What are the primary colors of light?

A

Red, blue and green.

85
Q

What is color addition?

A

The combining of colors of light.

86
Q

What are the two ways that white light can be made?

A
  1. By combining all primary colors of light. 2. By combining all colors of light.
87
Q

What are the secondary colors of light?

A

Yellow, cyan and magenta.

88
Q

How does a color television use light to show you images?

A

The TV screen is made up of groups of tiny red, green and blue dots. Each dot glows when hit by an electron beam. The colors given off by the glowing dots add together to produce all the different colors you see on screen.

89
Q

True or False : White paint can be made by mixing red, green and blue paint together.

A

False. Due to pigment, white paint cannot be made by mixing red, green and blue paint together.

90
Q

What is pigment?

A

A material or substance that gives another substance or mixture it’s color (by absorbing some colors of light and reflecting others).

91
Q

What does chlorophyll do?

A

Chlorophyll gives plants their green color.

92
Q

What does melanin do?

A

Melanin gives your skin it’s color.

93
Q

What is color subtraction?

A

The mixing of pigments.

94
Q

What are the primary pigments?

A

Yellow, cyan and magenta.

95
Q

What are the secondary pigments?

A

Red, blue and green.

96
Q

What part of the process of reflection is the arrow pointing to in the diagram below?

A

The reflected beam.