Section 7.1- The Nature of Light

Question 1

the ____________________ of electrons in atoms is one of the most important concepts in chemistry, for it largely determines the chemical properties of an element

Answer 1

arrangement

Question 2

can be described as a periodic back and forth motion that transmits energy

Answer 2

wave

Question 3

the high points of a series of waves are called

Answer 3

crests

Question 4

the lowest points of a wave are called

Answer 4

troughs

Question 5

the distance between any two corresponding points on successive waves

Answer 5

wavelength

Question 6

represents wavelength

Answer 6

lambda (upside down y)

Question 7

can be considered a measure of the wave’s strength

Answer 7

amplitude

Question 8

the number of compete waves that pass by a point in a given time

Answer 8

frequency

Question 9

one wave per second

the SI unit of frequency

Answer 9

hertz

Question 10

simply the rate at which the wave travels

Answer 10

speed

Question 11

wavelength, frequency, and speed are mathematically related by this equation

Answer 11

v (wave speed/velocity) = lambda (wavelength) x f (frequency)

Question 12

some of the first detailed investigations into the behavior of light were made by

Answer 12

Sir Isaac Newton (his book Optiks)

Question 13

proposed the particle theory of light

Answer 13

Newton

Question 14

the idea that light can be pictured as streams of tiny particles emitted by light sources

Answer 14

particle theory of light

Question 15

proposed the wave theory of light

Answer 15

Christiaan Huygens

Question 16

states that light consists of a series of waves rather than individual particles

Answer 16

wave theory of light

Question 17

showed that a light wave can be accurately described in terms of an electric field and a magnetic field vibrating at right angles to each other

Answer 17

James Clerk Maxwell

Question 18

two vibrating fields act together as a single

Answer 18

electromagnetic wave

Question 19

scientists represent the speed of electromagnetic waves (including light) by the symbol

Answer 19

c

Question 20

c (speed of light) equals

Answer 20

3.00 x 10^8 m/s

Question 21

is one of the fundamental constants of the universe

Answer 21

speed of light

Question 22

the measured speed of ___________ in a vacuum never varies

Answer 22

light

Question 23

equation for speed of electromagnetic waves including light

Answer 23

c= lambda (wavelength) x f (frequency)

Question 24

electromagnetic waves require no _____________ to travel through

Answer 24

medium

Question 25

an arrangement of all forms of electromagnetic radiation in order of frequency and wavelength is the

Answer 25

electromagnetic spectrum

Question 26

showed that light cannot be classified as simply particles or waves; rather, light has characteristics of both particles and waves

Answer 26

Max Planck and Albert Einstein

Question 27

the two sided nature of light is known as

Answer 27

wave-particle duality

Question 28

states that light consists photons

Answer 28

quantum theory of light

Question 29

tiny bundles or packets of energy

Answer 29

photon

Question 30

the amount of energy a photon contains is proportional to its _____________

Answer 30

frequency

Question 31

the quantum theory of energy allows us to define light as

Answer 31

electromagnetic waves traveling as photons

Question 32

a consequence of quantum theory is that light must consist of

Answer 32

whole number of photons

Question 33

equation for the energy of a photon

Answer 33

E = hf

Question 34

Planck’s constant

Answer 34

h
6.63 x 10 ^-34 J x s