sound and light

Question 1

Distinguish between transversal and longitudinal waves:

Answer 1

Transverse waves vibrates perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer, like light waves. Longitudinal waves vibrates parallel to the direction of energy transfer, like sound waves, it also has a rarefaction and compression

Question 2

Describe, give units and be able to identify the main features of a wave: wavelengths, frequency, and amplitude:

Answer 2

Wavelength: The distance between successive crests or troughs of a wave. Unit: meters (m).
Frequency: The number of waves passing a point per unit time. Unit: Hertz (Hz).
Amplitude: The maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position. Unit: meters (m).

Question 3

Describe the relationship between amplitude and loudness:

Answer 3

Amplitude is directly proportional to loudness. Higher amplitude corresponds to louder sound.

Question 4

Describe the relationship between frequency and pitch:

Answer 4

Frequency is directly proportional to pitch. Higher frequency corresponds to higher pitch.

Question 5

Describe an experiment to be able to calculate the speed of sound:

Answer 5

use the formula triangle: speed = distance/time.

Question 6

Compare the speed of sound in solids, liquids, and gases:

Answer 6

Sound generally travels fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases.

Question 7

Explain materials that absorb and reflect sound and discuss their application in soundproofing and echolocation:

Answer 7

Materials like foam and fiberglass absorb sound, while hard surfaces like concrete reflect sound. These properties are utilized in designing soundproof rooms and for echolocation in animals like bats.

Question 7

Label the structures of the ear:

Answer 7

ear canal, eardrum, auditory nerve, cochlea, ossicles (small bones), ear lobe pinna.

Question 8

Describe the hearing range for humans:

Answer 8

Generally between 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

Question 9

Describe the hearing defects that can result from loud noises:

Answer 9

Hearing loss or damage to the delicate structures of the inner ear, leading to conditions like tinnitus.

Question 10

Explain how light transfers through different materials: transparent, opaque, translucent:

Answer 10

Transparent materials allow light to pass through completely, opaque materials do not allow light to pass through, and translucent materials allow some light to pass through but not enough to see objects clearly.

Question 11

List the colors that make up the spectrum of light:

Answer 11

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet (ROYGBIV).

Question 12

Describe dispersion of white light using a prism:

Answer 12

White light is made up of a spectrum of colors. When it passes through a prism, the different colors refract at slightly different angles, separating into the spectrum.

Question 13

Explain how rainbows are formed:

Answer 13

Rainbows are formed by the dispersion, reflection, and refraction of sunlight in water droplets in the atmosphere.

Question 14

Describe how color is seen in terms of absorption of different colors:

Answer 14

Objects appear colored because they absorb certain wavelengths of light and reflect others.

Question 15

Predict the color of different objects with different color filters:

Answer 15

Objects viewed through a filter will appear the color of the filter, as the filter selectively absorbs certain wavelengths of light.

Question 16

Describe how a mirror reflects light:

Answer 16

A mirror reflects light through specular reflection, where the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.

Question 17

Apply the law of reflection:

Answer 17

The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

Question 18

Describe how light is refracted when it enters a different medium:

Answer 18

Light bends when it enters a different medium due to a change in speed, following Snell’s Law.

Question 19

Describe how the human eye works:

Answer 19

The eye focuses light onto the retina through the cornea and lens, which then converts it into neural signals that are sent to the brain via the optic nerve.

Question 20

Explain how the eye focuses on objects at different distances away:

Answer 20

The lens of the eye adjusts its shape through the process of accommodation to focus on objects at different distances.

Question 21

Apply ideas about lenses to the correction of vision:

Answer 21

Concave lenses are used to correct nearsightedness (myopia), while convex lenses are used to correct farsightedness (hyperopia).