Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Edexcel GCSE Physics (9-1) > SP4 - Waves ✓ > Flashcards

SP4 - Waves ✓ Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
GCSE Geography - AQA flashcards Physics 101 flashcards GCSE Religious Studies - Edexcel Route B flashcards GCSE Religious Studies - Eduqas Route A flashcards GCSE Religious Studies - Edexcel Route A flashcards GCSE Religious Studies - Eduqas Route B flashcards AP® Physics flashcards
1
Q

SP4a - Describe a transverse wave, giving examples.

A
  • Particles vibrate perpendicular to their direction of travel.
  • They transfer energy
  • They all travel at the same speed in a vacuum (3x108)
  • All EM waves are examples of this
  • Water waves are transverse
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

SP4a - Describe a longitudinal wave, giving examples.

A
  • Particles vibrate parallel to direction of travel
  • Areas of compression and rarefraction
  • Sound waves
  • Seismic P waves
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

SP4a - Descirbe the following features of a transverse wave:

  1. Frequency
  2. Period
  3. Wavelength
  4. Amplitude
A
  1. The amount of waves passing in a second (measured in Hertz Hz. Determines pitch or colour)
  2. The time it takes one wave to pass a point
  3. The length in m from one point to the next identical point of a wave
  4. The distance in m from a waves rest position to its trough or peak
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

SP4b - What are the two formulas for wave speed?

A

v = d/t

(Velocity = distance ÷ time)

v = f x λ

(Velocity = frequncy x wavelength)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

SP4b - Using two buoys, how can you measure the speed of waves?

A
  • Measure the distance the buoys are apart.
  • Record the amount of time it takes for a single wave to get from one to the other.
  • Do distance/time to get the wave speed.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

SP4b CP - How can you use a wave tank to investigate the speed of waves?

A
  • Set up a wave tank filled with water and a straight dipper with a ruler along the side
  • Vary the voltage provided to the straight dipper till there are at least 2 waves visible at any point
  • Count how many waves form in 10 seconds and divide by 10 to get your frequency
  • Using the ruler estimate the wavelength of a wave
  • Frequency x wavelength
  • Alternatively, record how long it takes the wave formed to travel a certain distance and to distance/time
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

SP4b CP - How can you use a metal rod to investigate the speed of waves in solids?

A
  • Suspend a metal rod using clamp stands
  • Hold a smartphone with a frequency app at one end
  • Hit the other end of the rod with a hammer and record the peak frequency
  • Meausure the length of the rod
  • Frequency x wavelength
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

SP4c - How does refraction occur?

A
  • When a ray of light reaches an interface (boundary) between substances, it changes speed (because light’s speed is dependant on the density of the substance it travels in).
  • If it slows down it bends towards the normal and if it speeds up it bends away
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

SP4c - Using water waves as a model, explain why refraction occurs.

A
  • Waves of water travel faster is deeper water than shallow water
  • They also are longitudinal so can be represented with lots of parallel lines rather than one line
  • When the wave of water reaches a boundary between shallow and deep, the part of each line that is furthest ahead, will reach the boundary first and slow down first.
  • This gradual change in which parts slow down means that the wave bends towards the normal
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

SP4d - What are the definitions of the following:

  • Reflect
  • Refract
  • Transmit
  • Absorb
A
  • Reflect: The waves bounce off
  • Refract: The wave passes into the new material but changes direction
  • Transmit: The wave passes through without being absorbed or reflected
  • Absorbed: The wave disappears as the energy it was carrying is transferred into the material
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

SP4d - Why is a prism able to split white light into a spectrum?

A

Each frequency of light changes speed at a slightly different rate meaning that at the right angles they can be split up

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

SP4e - Describe the process of a sound being heard by and ear. [6 marks]

A
  • Sound waves enter the ar canal which focuses it
  • The eardum is a thin membrance which vibrates due to the soundwaves’ vibrations
  • Vibrations are passed on to tiny bones which amplify the vibrations
  • Vibrations are passed on to the liquid inside the cochlea
  • Tiny hairs inside the cochlea detect these vibrations and convert them to electrical impulses
  • Impulses travel along the auditory nerve to reach the brain
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

SP4e - How does the cochlea work?

A
  • The cochlea has a membrane covered with hair cells
  • Each hair cell is connected to a neurone so that when it detects a vibration of its frequency it creates and electrical signal
  • The cochlea is a spiral with the outmost, thickest part (the base) detecting hgih frequencies (up to 20000Hz) and the low, thinnest end (the apex) detecting lower frequencies (down to 20Hz)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

SP4e - Explain why as people get older, their range of hearing may decrease.

A
  • As people get older, the hairs of the base and apex of their cochlea can get damaged.
  • This means that they are no longer able to convert vibrations into impulses
  • Thus they can’t hear these sounds
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

SP4f - What is the human range of hearing?

A

20Hz - 20,000 Hz

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

SP4f - What is ultrasound?

A

Sound above 20,000 Hz

17
Q

SP4f - How can boats use ultrasound in sonar equipment?

A
  • To find the depth of the water beneath them.
  • They fire off an ultrasound wave at 1500m/s.
  • They time how long it takes to return.
  • They use d = s x t to find out the distance hte wave travelled and divide it by 2 to find the depth of the water
18
Q

SP4f - How is ultrasound used in scans?

A
  • A probe emits ultrasound waves
  • Gel is used to stop it from reflecting
  • Some waves are reflected when they meet bones, fat, tissue etc.
  • The probe also detects these refelected waves
  • It sends these as impulses to the computer
  • The ultrasound imaging machine detcts the frequency of the impulses turning it into an image
19
Q

SP4f - Why is an ultrasound scan more beneficial for scanning a foetus?

A
  • Other scans such as PET and CT would release radiation
  • This could harm the foetus causing mutations
20
Q

SP4g - What is infrasound?

A

Sound below 20Hz

21
Q

SP4g - What are the two types of seismic waves and what is the difference?

A
  • P waves: Longitudinal
  • S waves: Transverse
22
Q

SP4g - What are seismic waves?

A

Vibrations produces by earthquakes

23
Q

SP4g - Why are P waves more useful than S waves?

A
  • P waves are longitudinal while S waves are transverse
  • S waves can only be transmitted by solids but P waves can go through all through states
  • The earth has a liquid outer core
  • S waves fired from a point can’t go through the liquid core but P waves can
  • This means that S waves have a larger shadow zone
  • Using the idea that S waves can’t go through liquids and P waves can, scientists were able to find out about the structure of the earth
24
Q

SP4g - What is a shadow zone?

A

The area where a wave cannot reach when fired from a point

25
Q

SP4g - What is the key thing to remember about seismic waves as they pass through the earth?

A

They get refracted

26
Q

SP4g - Why may there still be weak P waves even in the shadow zones?

A

They can be reflected by the solid inner core

27
Q

SP4g - How can seismic waves be used to detect earthquakes?

A

Seismic waves can be detected by seismometers and give information about where earthquakes are originating

28
Q

SP4g - Why does the P wave shadow zone exist?

A
  • P Waves travel at a slower speed in liquid, so will refract (change direction), which creates the shadow zone.

Edexcel GCSE Physics (9-1) (17 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions