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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

1
Q

1 Name three different types of wave.

A

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

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2
Q

2 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

3 What are the units for wavelength?

A

metres

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4
Q

4 What property of a wave does the frequency describe?

A

the number of waves per second

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5
Q

5 What are the units for frequency?

A

hertz

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6
Q

6 What is transferred by a wave?

A

energy

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7
Q

7 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

8 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

9 What word is used to describe waves like sound waves?

A

longitudinal

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10
Q

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

A

transverse

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11
Q

11 Name a type of transverse wave.

A

waves on water, some seismic waves, light waves

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12
Q

12 Name a type of longitudinal wave.

A

sound, some seismic waves

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13
Q

13 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

14 What word describes the number of waves per second?

A

frequency

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15
Q

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

A

period

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16
Q

16 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

17 What are the units for frequency?

A

hertz

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18
Q

18 Name two things that waves can transfer.

A

energy and information

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19
Q

19 Name one thing that waves do not transfer.

A

matter

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20
Q

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

A

wave speed=frequency x wavelength

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21
Q

21 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

22 Describe the path of light when you watch TV.

A

TV to eye

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23
Q

23 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

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

A

reflection

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25
25 What does refraction mean?
changing the direction of a wave
26
26 When does refraction happen to light waves?
when light goes into or out of a material
27
27 Name three materials that light can travel through.
any three transparent materials, such as air, glass, water, Perspex
28
28 Why is it difficult to see the exact positions of objects on the bottom of a swimming pool?
light is refracted as it leaves the water
29
29 What does the frequency of a wave describe?
number of waves per second
30
30 What are the units for frequency?
hertz
31
31 What does the wavelength of a wave describe?
distance from one point on a wave to the same point on next wave
32
32 What are the standard units for wavelength?
metres
33
33 What does refraction mean?
waves changing direction when they go from one material to another
34
34 What is a vacuum?
empty space
35
35 What materials can light pass through?
vacuum, air, glass, water
36
36 Are light waves transverse or longitudinal?
transverse
37
37 What do all waves transfer?
energy
38
38 A nanometre is one millionth of a millimetre. Why are nanometres sometimes used for giving the wavelengths of light waves?
the wavelength is very short
39
39 What are the colours of the rainbow?
red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet
40
40 What piece of apparatus can you use to split up light to form a spectrum?
prism
41
41 Which colour in visible light has the longest wavelength?
red
42
42 What does EM stand for?
electromagnetic
43
43 Are EM waves transverse or longitudinal?
transverse
44
44 Which part of our bodies detects visible light?
eyes
45
45 Which part of our bodies detects infrared?
skin
46
46 H Name two parts of the EM spectrum that can travel through the atmosphere.
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
47 Which electromagnetic waves have the highest frequency?
gamma rays
48
48 Which electromagnetic waves have the longest wavelengths?
radio waves
49
49 Which electromagnetic waves have lower frequencies than visible light?
infrared, microwaves, radio waves
50
50 Which electromagnetic waves have higher frequencies than visible light?
ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays
51
51 Which colour of visible light has the shortest wavelength?
violet
52
52 Which colour of visible light has the highest frequency?
violet
53
53 Which colour of visible light has the lowest frequency?
red
54
54 Which part or parts of the electromagnetic spectrum is used for cooking?
infrared, microwaves, radio waves
55
55 Which part or parts of the electromagnetic spectrum is used for sending TV programmes?
radio waves, microwaves
56
56 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used in TV remote controls?
infrared
57
57 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is detected by our eyes?
visible
58
58 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is emitted by toasters and grills?
infrared
59
59 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used for mobile phone communications?
microwaves
60
60 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum are light bulbs designed to emit?
visible light
61
61 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to cook food from the inside?
microwaves
62
62 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to treat cancer?
gamma rays
63
63 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum can be used to look inside bodies?
X-rays
64
64 H How are radio waves produced?
by oscillations in electrical circuits
65
65 H How are radio waves detected?
They produce oscillations in circuits attached to an aerial.
66
66 H Why do radio waves sometimes have a longer range than microwaves?
refraction in the atmosphere
67
67 Which transfers the most energy: red, green or violet light?
violet
68
68 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to sterilise surgical instruments?
gamma rays
69
69 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to examine luggage in airports?
X-rays
70
70 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to sterilise water?
ultraviolet
71
71 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum do fluorescent materials emit?
visible light
72
72 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is produced inside many low energy light bulbs?
ultraviolet
73
73 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is emitted by radioactive materials?
gamma rays
74
74 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to make images of bones?
X-rays
75
75 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum can cause skin cancer?
ultraviolet
76
76 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum can cook things by heating water inside them?
microwaves

Edexcel GCSE Combined Science Physics (8 decks)

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