Science - Physics 1 Flashcards
How do we see things
We see things when light reflects off them and enters our eyes.
Where and how does light travel?
Light travels from a source in straight lines
What happens when light is shun on an opaque object?
Light cannot travel through opaque substances so it forms a shadow behind the substance.
What is light?
Light is a way of transferring energy from one place to another.
Properties of light
Transverse wave
300000000m/s in the air
travels through vacuum, gases, some liquids, some solids
Properties of sound
Longitudinal wave
330m/s in the air
travels through matter
How can we show how light travels?
By drawing rays.
What happens when light hits transparent materials?
Light can pass straight through transparent materials. We say light is transmitted through these materials.
What happens when light reaches opaque materials
Some of it is reflected and some is absorbed, when an object absorbs energy it warms up.
Camera obscura
A camera obscura is a room with a small hole in the wall. People inside the room can see an image of the outside world on the wall opposite the hole.
Pinhole camera
Pinhole camera is a small version of a camera obscura
How does a pinhole camera form an image on the screen
A pinhole camera forms an image on the screen because light from the object travels in straight lines.
Ray box
A ray boxes are the budgeted form for using lasers in school.
What is a plane mirror
A plane mirror is a flat mirror
Ray tracing
You can investigate what happens when a ray of light hits a mirror using a ray box. The method described is called ray tracing.
Incident ray
The light travelling towards the mirror is called the incident ray
Normal line
The normal is a line at right angles to the mirror. This is usually drawn as a dotted line. The angles of the light rays are measured from the normal.
Reflected ray
The light travelling away from the mirror is called the reflected ray.
what are mirrors made out of?
Mirrors are made of glass with a very thin layer of metal at the back. Mirrors reflect light evenly because the metal is very smooth.
Law of reflection
Angle of incidence = angle of reflection
Diffuse reflection
The light reflected by most opaque materials is scattered, so that it travels in all directions. This is called diffuse reflection.
Lense
Lenses are curved pieces of glass or other transparent material.
What are examples of lenses used in objects?
Microscopes, to make things look bigger
Telescope, to make distant objects look closer
Specs, to see more clearly
Spotlights, to focus beams of light
Cameras, to make sure the image is clear
What is refraction
The change of direction of light is called refraction. Refraction happens whenever light travels from one transparent substance to another. It only takes place where two substances meet (at their interface). If the light passes through the interface at 90 degrees, it does not change direction.
Why does refraction happen?
Refraction happens because light travels at different speeds in different materials. It travels more slowly in substances such as water or glass than it does air
In which direction does light refract to when it travels through denser materials?
It travels toward the normal
In which direction does light refract to when it travels through less dense materials?
Away from the normal
Focal length
The focal length is the distance between the centre of the lense and the focal point
Focal point
The point where the rays meet is called the focal point.
What does the sensor do in the camera?
The sensor in the camera detects light falling on it because the energy transferred by the light causes electrical changes. The sensor changes energy transferred by light into electrical signals as well.
What do older cameras use to record images?
A film
What happens when light hits the film
Light hitting photographic film causes chemical changes that are then made permanent by developing the film with other substances
Lens in a camera
The lens focuses the light. The position of the lens can be adjusted so that the camera can focus on close or distant objects.
What does a shutter do in a camera?
The shutter stops light hitting the sensor when the camera is not in use. The shutter opens when a photo is being taken.
What is the aperture in a camera?
The aperture is a hole that can be adjusted to allow different amounts of light into the camera
What side facing is the image on the retina?
The retina is upsidedown, your brain makes you view it the right way up.
What is the iris?
The iris is the coloured part of the eye. It has a hole in the middle called the pupil. The iris can change the size of the pupil to control the amount of light entering the eye. This helps to prevent damage to the eye if the light is very bright.
What does the lens do in the eye?
The lens helps focus the light
Optic nerve
Nerve impulses are sent to the brain along the optic nerve
What is the cornea?
The transparent covering of the eye is called the cornea
What do the special cells in the retina do?
Special cells in the retina change the energy transferred by light into electrical impulses called nerve impulses
What cells does the centre of the retina contain?
Mainly cone cells, there are three types of cone cells which detect red, green and blue.