Light & Optics

Question 1

What is the order & range of the electromagnetic spectrum?

Answer 1

1. Radio (long wavelength, low frequency)
2. Microwave
3. Infrared
4. Visible light (700-400 nm)
5. Ultraviolet (400-50 nm)
6. X-ray
7. Gamma rays (short wavelength, high frequency)

Question 2

What are the wavelength ranges of the visible spectrum ?

Answer 2

1. R: 620-750 nm
2. O: 590-620 nm
3. Y: 570-590 nm
4. G: 495-570 nm
5. B: 450-495 nm
6. V: 380-450 nm

Question 3

The rebounding of incident light waves @ the boundary of a medium is known as ?

Answer 3

Reflection

Question 4

Flat reflective surfaces that cause neither convergence nor divergence is known as ?

Answer 4

Plane mirrors (always create virtual images) 
*light rays reflected in front of mirror, but image produced behind mirror

Question 5

What is the difference between concave & convex mirrors ?

Answer 5

Concave: center of curvature & radius located in front of mirror; converging mirror
Convex: center of curvature & radius located behind mirror; diverging mirror

Question 6

The distance between the focal point & the mirror is known as ?

Answer 6

Focal length

Question 7

If the image has a positive distance from the mirror, then ?

Answer 7

Real image

In front of mirror

Question 8

If the image has a negative distance from the mirror, then ?

Answer 8

Virtual image

Behind the mirror

Question 9

The ratio of the image distance to the object distance is known as what ?

Answer 9

Magnification 
-: inverted image 
\+: upright image 
m<1: image smaller than object
m>1: image bigger than object

Question 10

The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another and changes speed is known as ?

Answer 10

Refraction

Question 11

How does light bend with respect to the index of refraction of the mediums?

Answer 11

if n1>n2, light bends away from normal

If n2>n1, light bends towards the normal

Question 12

What is the real world difference between convex & concave lenses ?

Answer 12

Convex: converging (farsighted)
Concave: diverging (nearsighted)

Question 13

What is the difference between myopia & hyperopia ?

Answer 13

Hyperopia: farsightedness (needs converging corrective lens)
Myopia: nearsightedness (needs diverging corrective lens)

Question 14

Blurring of the periphery of an image as a result of inadequate reflection of parallel beams @ the edge of a mirror or inadequate refraction of parallel beams @ the edge of a lens is termed ?

Answer 14

Spherical aberration

Question 15

The spreading out of light as it passes through a narrow opening or around an obstacle is known as ?

Answer 15

Diffraction

Question 16

Light in which their electric fields of their wavelengths are all positioned in the same direction is known as ?

Answer 16

Plane polarized light

Question 17

What is it called when various wavelengths of light separate from each other ?

Answer 17

Dispersion

Question 18

When waves interact w/ each other, their displacements are added together, and this is known as ?

Answer 18

Interference