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GCSEs > Physics (paper 1) 📍 > Flashcards

Physics (paper 1) 📍 Flashcards

1
Q

What are the function of waves?

A

They transfer energy and information without transferring matter

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2
Q

Wavelength (λ)

A

Minimum distance in which a wave repeats itself

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3
Q

What is a wavelength measured in?

A

Metres

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4
Q

Amplitude (A)

A

Distance between the origin and the crest/trough

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5
Q

Frequency (f)

A

Number of waves that pass a point in a second

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6
Q

Frequency and wavelength are

A

inversely proportional
• High frequency = short wavelengths
• Low frequency = long wavelengths

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7
Q

How is the wavelength measured in both waves?

A

Transverse waves:
From one peak/crest to the next

Longitudinal waves:
From the centre of one compression to the next centre of compression

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8
Q

Time period (T)

A

The time taken for a single wave to pass a point

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9
Q

Wave velocity (speed)

A

The distance travelled by a wave each second

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10
Q

Transverse wave

A

Waves where the particles move perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer (oscillating motion)

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11
Q

Examples of transverse waves

A

• Ripples on the surface of water
• S - waves
• Electromagnetic waves (eg radio, light, x rays)

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12
Q

Longitudinal wave

A

Wave where the particles vibrate parallel to the direction of energy transfer (side to side motion)

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13
Q

What wave can travel through a vacuum?

A

Some transverse waves eg light

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14
Q

When the points are close together in a longitudinal wave

A

Compression

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15
Q

When the points are spaced apart in a longitudinal wave

A

Rarefaction

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16
Q

Examples of longitudinal waves

A

• Sound waves
• P - waves
• Ultrasound
• Infrasound

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17
Q

Equations for wave speed (m/s)

A

• v = x/t
(Wave speed = distance/time)

• v = f x λ
(Wave speed = frequency x wavelength)

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18
Q

How do you work out wavelength? (λ)

A

Length x 2

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19
Q

Seismic wave

A

Wave produced by earthquakes

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20
Q

Types of wave interactions through an interface

A

• Reflection
• Refraction
• Transmission
• Absorption

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21
Q

Materials interact differently with waves depending on their ______

A

wavelength

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22
Q

Reflection definition

A

The bouncing back of a wave at a boundary

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23
Q

Refraction definition

A

When a wave changes speed at the boundary between materials of different densities

24
Q

Transmission definition

A

When a wave passes through a substance

25
Q

Absorption definition

A

When energy is transferred from the wave to the particles of a substance

26
Q

What’s an echo?

A

Sound waves being reflected off a surface

27
Q

How do waves get reflected?
(effect)

A

• Flat surfaces are the most reflective
(The smoother the surface, the stronger the reflected wave)
• Light will reflect if the object is opaque
• Electrons absorb the light energy and re emit it as a reflected wave

28
Q

How does light get refracted?
(effect)

A

• Examples like glass and water are denser than air
• So the light waves passing from the air would slow down as the wavelength shortens
• The change in speed can cause the wave to change direction (bending towards the normal)

29
Q

Waves that can be refracted

A

• Sound
• Water
• Seismic
• Electromagnetic (light, radio-waves, x-rays)

30
Q

Effects of transmission

A

• When passing through a material, waves are usually partially absorbed
• Therefore the transmitted wave may have a lower amplitude
• Eg sound waves are quieter after passing through a wall

31
Q

What does it mean if an object appears yellow?

A

• Only yellow light has been reflected
• All other frequencies of visible light have been absorbed

32
Q

What happens when waves speed up?

A

• The frequency stays the same
• The wavelength increases (gets longer)
• The waves travel away from the normal

33
Q

What happens when waves slow down?

A

• The frequency stays the same
• The wavelength decreases
• The waves travel toward the normal

34
Q

What is a normal

A

A line drawn perpendicular to an interface

35
Q

Sound waves definition

A

The vibrations of molecules

36
Q

Regions of higher and lower density in a longitudinal wave

A

Higher density: Compression
Lower density: Rarefaction

37
Q

Range of frequencies humans can hear

A

20 Hz to 20,000 Hz

38
Q

Ultrasound

A

Sound waves with a frequency above the human hearing range of 20000 Hz

39
Q

Infrasound

A

Sound waves with a frequency below the human hearing range of 20 Hz

40
Q

Explain the way the human ear works

A

• Vibrations in the air travels down the auditory canal causing the eardrum to vibrate
• Vibrations are passed onto the three small bones
• These bones amplify vibrations and transmit them to the liquid in the cochlea
• Tiny hairs in the cochlea detect vibrations and create electrical impulses
• They travel along neurones in the auditory nerve to the brain

41
Q

Incident angle

A

Angle of the entering ray

42
Q

Angle of the exiting ray is known as the

A

Angle of reflection

43
Q

Angle of reflection is equal to

A

Angle of incidence

44
Q

Can sound waves travel through a vacuum? Explain.

A

• No. Longitudinal waves rely on vibrating particles to travel
• In a vacuum there are no particles that can vibrate, and so sound waves can’t be transmitted.

45
Q

How is ultrasound used in sonar?

A

• Ultrasound is emitted from a boat and travels towards the sea bed
• Ultrasound reflects off the sea bed and is detected by the boat
• The time between emission and detection is recorded
• This can be used to find out the depth of seabed

46
Q

Ultrasound uses

A

• Foetal scanning
• Sonar
• echo location

47
Q

Infrasound uses

A

• Exploration of the Earth’s core
• Detecting seismic activity

48
Q

How is ultrasound used for foetal scanning?

A

• A transducer produces and detects a beam of ultrasound waves in body
• Ultrasound waves are bounced back to the transducer by different boundaries
• The echo reaches the transducer causing it to generate electrical signals to send to the scanner
• The detector calculates the tissue’s distance from transducer using speed and time
• Time measurements are used to build up an image

49
Q

How does ultrasound operate?

A

Some of the ultrasound waves is reflected each time it passes through a boundary between two materials

50
Q

Why is ultrasound a safe method for foetal scanning compared to eg X rays?

A

• x rays are ionising whereas ultrasound isn’t
• Therefore x rays could damage tissue and mutate cells

51
Q

What is applied during foetal scanning and why?

A

Gel is applied to ensure ultrasound is absorbed not reflected off your body

52
Q

How is infrasound used in the exploration of the earths core?

A

• Earthquakes produce P-waves and S-waves
• These pass through the Earth’s centre and can be detected using seismometers
• The location and magnitude can be identified after carefully timing the arrival of its waves

53
Q

Characteristics of P-waves

A

Primary waves

• Longitudinal waves

• Faster than S-waves so are felt first during an earthquake

• Produce a forward and back motion

• Can only pass through solids and liquids

• Are very low frequency sound waves (infrasound)

54
Q

Characteristics of S-waves

A

Secondary waves

• Transverse waves

• Slower than P-waves so are felt after them during an earthquake

• Produces a side to side motion

• Can only travel through solids

• Unable to travel through the Earth’s molten outer core

55
Q

Method to calculate wave speed by measuring the frequency

A

• Measure the frequency by counting the number of waves that pass a ping on the harbour each second

• Measure the wavelength by counting the number of waves between two point on the harbour and dividing the distance by the number of waves

GCSEs (17 decks)

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