Physics Properties of waves 4.1 - 4.5 Flashcards
What do waves transfer
Waves transfer energy from one point to another
Do waves carry matter? (Yes, no)
No
What is the tip of a wave called?
Crest
What is the bottom of a wave called?
Trough
What is the displacement from equilibrium on a wave graph to the tip of a wave called?
Amplitude
What is frequency and what is it measured in?
Frequency is the number of complete oscillations per second measured in hertz
What is a wavelength?
The distance from crest to crest or trough to trough
What are the two formulas for waves and what are the units measured in?
f = 1/f
v = wavelength * frequency where frequency is measured in hertz, t is time measured in seconds, wavelength is measured in meters, and v is wave speed measured in meters per second
What direction does a longitudinal wave travel with respect to its direction of energy transfer?
It travels parallel to the direction of energy transfer
What direction does a transverse wave travel with respect to its direction of energy transfer?
It travels perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
What is reflection
Reflection is the bouncing back of light after it hits a surface
What are the two types of reflection
Specular and diffuse or scattered reflection
What is specular reflection
Specular reflection is when the boundary or surface that the light ray hits is smooth and can provide a clear image
What is diffuse or scattered reflection
Diffuse or scattered reflection is when the boundary or surface that light hits is bumpy and the image provided can’t be seen properly or is blurry
When light hits a surface at an angle of 45 degrees, what will be the angle of reflection and why
45 degrees because the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection
What happens to a light ray when it enters a denser medium?
it gets bent towards the normal of the surface of the denser medium
What happens to a light ray when it exits a denser medium into a less dense medium?
It bends away from the normal
Which color bends the least from the normal as it emerges from a dense medium?
Red
Which color bends the most from the normal as it emerges from a dense medium?
Violet
Which color has the longest wavelength and the lowest energy
Red
Which color has the shortest wavelength and the highest energy
Violet
What is refractive index
Refractive index is a measure of the speed of light in a medium compared to the speed of light in a vacuum like ratios
Is refractive index directly proportional to the density of the medium (yes or no)
Yes
What is the refractive index of a vacuum
1
Is the refractive index of glass higher than that of a vacuum? (Yes or no)
Yes
What is a critical angle
A critical angle is the angle of incidence for which the angle of refraction is 90 degrees
What affects the magnitude of the critical angle?
Refractive index
What is the angle of refraction for the following: (you don’t have to give exact measurements)
i = incidence
c = critical angle
When i = c
when i > c
when i < c
90 degrees
Total internal reflection
angle less than 90 degrees
What is total internal reflection?
Total internal reflection is when the incident light ray gets reflected back into the medium
What are the three formulas for refractive index?
n = 1/sin c
n = speed of light in vacuum / speed of light in medium
n = sin i / sin r
Where c = critical angle, i = angle of incidence, r = angle of refraction
