Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

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


See full index

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

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

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

3 What are the units for wavelength?

A

metres

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

4 What property of a wave does the frequency describe?

A

the number of waves per second

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

5 What are the units for frequency?

A

hertz

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

6 What is transferred by a wave?

A

energy

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

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

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

A

longitudinal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

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

A

transverse

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

11 Name a type of transverse wave.

A

waves on water, some seismic waves, light waves

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

12 Name a type of longitudinal wave.

A

sound, some seismic waves

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

14 What word describes the number of waves per second?

A

frequency

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

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

A

period

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

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

A

wavelength

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

17 What are the units for frequency?

A

hertz

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

18 Name two things that waves can transfer.

A

energy and information

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

19 Name one thing that waves do not transfer.

A

matter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

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

A

wave speed=frequency x wavelength

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

22 Describe the path of light when you watch TV.

A

TV to eye

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

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

A

lamp to book to eye

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

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

A

reflection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

25 What does refraction mean?

A

changing the direction of a wave

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

26 When does refraction happen to light waves?

A

when light goes into or out of a material

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

27 Name three materials that light can travel through.

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

28 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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

29 What does the frequency of a wave describe?

A

number of waves per second

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

30 What are the units for frequency?

A

hertz

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

31 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

32 What are the standard units for wavelength?

33
Q

33 What does refraction mean?

A

waves changing direction when they go from one material to another

34
Q

34 What is a vacuum?

A

empty space

35
Q

35 What materials can light pass through?

A

vacuum, air, glass, water

36
Q

36 Are light waves transverse or longitudinal?

A

transverse

37
Q

37 What do all waves transfer?

38
Q

38 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

39 What are the colours of the rainbow?

A

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

40
Q

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

41
Q

41 Which colour in visible light has the longest wavelength?

42
Q

42 What does EM stand for?

A

electromagnetic

43
Q

43 Are EM waves transverse or longitudinal?

A

transverse

44
Q

44 Which part of our bodies detects visible light?

45
Q

45 Which part of our bodies detects infrared?

46
Q

46 H 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

47 Which electromagnetic waves have the highest frequency?

A

gamma rays

48
Q

48 Which electromagnetic waves have the longest wavelengths?

A

radio waves

49
Q

49 Which electromagnetic waves have lower frequencies than visible light?

A

infrared, microwaves, radio waves

50
Q

50 Which electromagnetic waves have higher frequencies than visible light?

A

ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays

51
Q

51 Which colour of visible light has the shortest wavelength?

52
Q

52 Which colour of visible light has the highest frequency?

53
Q

53 Which colour of visible light has the lowest frequency?

54
Q

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

A

infrared, microwaves, radio waves

55
Q

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

A

radio waves, microwaves

56
Q

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

57
Q

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

58
Q

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

59
Q

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

A

microwaves

60
Q

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

A

visible light

61
Q

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

A

microwaves

62
Q

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

A

gamma rays

63
Q

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

64
Q

64 H How are radio waves produced?

A

by oscillations in electrical circuits

65
Q

65 H How are radio waves detected?

A

They produce oscillations in circuits attached to an aerial.

66
Q

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

A

refraction in the atmosphere

67
Q

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

68
Q

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

A

gamma rays

69
Q

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

70
Q

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

A

ultraviolet

71
Q

71 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum do fluorescent materials emit?

A

visible light

72
Q

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

A

ultraviolet

73
Q

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

A

gamma rays

74
Q

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

75
Q

75 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum can cause skin cancer?

A

ultraviolet

76
Q

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

A

microwaves

Edexcel GCSE Combined Science Physics (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions