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Edexcel GCSE Combined Science Physics > Topic 4 & 5 Waves, light and the EM Spectrum > Flashcards

Topic 4 & 5 Waves, light and the EM Spectrum Flashcards

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1
Q

Name three different types of wave.

A

any three from: light, sound, waves on water, seismic waves

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2
Q

What property of a wave does the wavelength describe?

A

the distance from one wave to the same place on the next wave

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3
Q

What are the units for wavelength?

A

metres

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4
Q

What property of a wave does the frequency describe?

A

the number of waves per second

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5
Q

What are the units for frequency?

A

hertz

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6
Q

What is transferred by a wave?

A

energy

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7
Q

What does amplitude mean?

A

the height of a wave, more correctly, the maximum displacement of a particle from its rest position

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8
Q

In which direction do the particles in a sound wave move compared to the direction the wave is travelling?

A

backwards and forwards in the same direction as the wave

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9
Q

What word is used to describe waves like sound waves?

A

longitudinal

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10
Q

What word is used to describe waves like the waves on water?

A

transverse

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11
Q

Name a type of transverse wave.

A

waves on water, some seismic waves, light waves

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12
Q

Name a type of longitudinal wave.

A

sound, some seismic waves

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13
Q

What is the difference between longitudinal and transverse waves?

A

the direction the particles move compared to the direction the wave is travelling

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14
Q

What word describes the number of waves per second?

A

frequency

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15
Q

What word describes the time taken for one wave to pass?

A

period

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16
Q

What word describes the distance between a point on one wave and the same point on the next wave?

A

wavelength

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17
Q

What are the units for frequency?

A

hertz

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18
Q

Name two things that waves can transfer.

A

energy and information

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19
Q

Name one thing that waves do not transfer.

A

matter

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20
Q

What is the equation that links wave speed, frequency and wavelength?

A

wave speed=frequency x wavelength

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21
Q

What two things do you need to measure to find the speed of a wave?

A

either the time to cover a certain distance, or the wavelength and the frequency

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22
Q

Describe the path of light when you watch TV.

A

TV to eye

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23
Q

Describe the path of light when you sit underneath a lamp and read a book.

A

lamp to book to eye

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24
Q

What is the word that describes light bouncing off a material?

A

reflection

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25
Q

What does refraction mean?

A

changing the direction of a wave

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26
Q

When does refraction happen to light waves?

A

when light goes into or out of a material

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27
Q

Name three materials that light can travel through.

A

any three transparent materials, such as air, glass, water, Perspex

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28
Q

Why is it difficult to see the exact positions of objects on the bottom of a swimming pool?

A

light is refracted as it leaves the water

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29
Q

What does the frequency of a wave describe?

A

number of waves per second

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30
Q

What are the units for frequency?

A

hertz

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31
Q

What does the wavelength of a wave describe?

A

distance from one point on a wave to the same point on next wave

32
Q

What are the standard units for wavelength?

A

metres

33
Q

What does refraction mean?

A

waves changing direction when they go from one material to another

34
Q

What is a vacuum?

A

empty space

35
Q

What materials can light pass through?

A

vacuum, air, glass, water

36
Q

Are light waves transverse or longitudinal?

A

transverse

37
Q

What do all waves transfer?

A

energy

38
Q

A nanometre is one millionth of a millimetre. Why are nanometres sometimes used for giving the wavelengths of light waves?

A

the wavelength is very short

39
Q

What are the colours of the rainbow?

A

red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet

40
Q

What piece of apparatus can you use to split up light to form a spectrum?

A

prism

41
Q

Which colour in visible light has the longest wavelength?

A

red

42
Q

What does EM stand for?

A

electromagnetic

43
Q

Are EM waves transverse or longitudinal?

A

transverse

44
Q

Which part of our bodies detects visible light?

A

eyes

45
Q

Which part of our bodies detects infrared?

A

skin

46
Q

Name two parts of the EM spectrum that can travel through the atmosphere.

A

All can to some extent, but the expected answer at this stage is infrared and visible light, as we can detect both of these from the Sun .

47
Q

Which electromagnetic waves have the highest frequency?

A

gamma rays

48
Q

Which electromagnetic waves have the longest wavelengths?

A

radio waves

49
Q

Which electromagnetic waves have lower frequencies than visible light?

A

infrared, microwaves, radio waves

50
Q

Which electromagnetic waves have higher frequencies than visible light?

A

ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays

51
Q

Which colour of visible light has the shortest wavelength?

A

violet

52
Q

Which colour of visible light has the highest frequency?

A

violet

53
Q

Which colour of visible light has the lowest frequency?

A

red

54
Q

Which part or parts of the electromagnetic spectrum is used for cooking?

A

infrared, microwaves, radio waves

55
Q

Which part or parts of the electromagnetic spectrum is used for sending TV programmes?

A

radio waves, microwaves

56
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used in TV remote controls?

A

infrared

57
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is detected by our eyes?

A

visible

58
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is emitted by toasters and grills?

A

infrared

59
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used for mobile phone communications?

A

microwaves

60
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum are light bulbs designed to emit?

A

visible light

61
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to cook food from the inside?

A

microwaves

62
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to treat cancer?

A

gamma rays

63
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum can be used to look inside bodies?

A

X-rays

64
Q

How are radio waves produced?

A

by oscillations in electrical circuits

65
Q

How are radio waves detected?

A

They produce oscillations in circuits attached to an aerial.

66
Q

Why do radio waves sometimes have a longer range than microwaves?

A

refraction in the atmosphere

67
Q

Which transfers the most energy: red, green or violet light?

A

violet

68
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to sterilise surgical instruments?

A

gamma rays

69
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to examine luggage in airports?

A

X-rays

70
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to sterilise water?

A

ultraviolet

71
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum do fluorescent materials emit?

A

visible light

72
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is produced inside many low energy light bulbs?

A

ultraviolet

73
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is emitted by radioactive materials?

A

gamma rays

74
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to make images of bones?

A

X-rays

75
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum can cause skin cancer?

A

ultraviolet

76
Q

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum can cook things by heating water inside them?

A

microwaves

Edexcel GCSE Combined Science Physics (3 decks)

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