Waves

Question 1

What is a transverse wave?

Answer 1

A wave that’s vibrations are perpendicular to the direction of the wave.

Question 2

What is a longitudinal wave?

Answer 2

A wave that’s vibrations are parallel to the direction.

Question 3

What is the frequency of a wave?

Answer 3

The number of waves passing a fixed point per second measured in Hertz (Hz).

Question 4

What is the amplitude of a wave?

Answer 4

The max. displacement a particle can achieve from its undisturbed position measured in metres (m).

Question 5

What is the wavelength of a wave?

Answer 5

The distance from one point on a wave to the equivalent point on the next wave measured in metres (m).

Question 6

What is the period of a wave?

Answer 6

The time taken for one complete vibration measured in seconds (s).

Question 7

What is a medium?

Answer 7

Material.

Question 8

What is refraction?

Answer 8

The change in direction of a ray passing through a medium.

Question 9

What is a refractive index?

Answer 9

The way in which materials affect refraction.

Question 10

What is the frequency of an ultrasonic wave?

Answer 10

Anything greater than 20,000hZ (20kHz)- beyond the range of human hearing.

Question 11

What is echo sounding?

Answer 11

The use of ultrasonic waves for detecting objects under deep water and measuring the depth of water.

Question 12

What are the two types of seismic waves?

Answer 12

P-wave (primary wave)

S-wave (secondary wave)

Question 13

What are the characteristics of P-waves?

Answer 13

Longitudinal, travel at the speed of sound, travel at different speeds through solids and liquids.

Question 14

What are the characteristics of S-waves?

Answer 14

Transverse, half as fast as P-waves, cannot travel through liquids.

Question 15

What is the order of the Electromagnetic Spectrum?

Answer 15

Radio, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays.

Question 16

Which waves on the EM spectrum are ionising radiation?

Answer 16

X-rays and gamma rays.

Question 17

Describe a convex lens.

Answer 17

Wider in the middle than at the edges.

Question 18

Describe a concave lens.

Answer 18

Wider at the edges than in the middle.

Question 19

What is the principal focus or focal point?

Answer 19

The point at which the parallel rays entering the convex lens are brought to a focus.

Question 20

What is the focal length?

Answer 20

The distance from the lens to the focal point.

Question 21

What is a real image?

Answer 21

An image that is on the opposite side of the lens to the object and can be projected onto a screen.

Question 22

What is a virtual image?

Answer 22

An image that is on the same side of the lens as the object and can only be seen by looking through the lens.

Question 23

What is magnification?

Answer 23

The ratio of image height to object height.

Question 24

What is specular reflection?

Answer 24

Reflection by a smooth surface in a single direction.

Question 25

What is a transparent object?

Answer 25

An object that transmits light coherently so objects can be seen on the other side.

Question 26

What is a translucent object?

Answer 26

An object that transmits light, but the rays are scattered so objects cannot be seen clearly.

Question 27

What is an opaque object?

Answer 27

An object that either reflects or absorbs all light incident on them, so no light passes through them and objects cannot be seen through them.

Question 28

What is a perfect black body?

Answer 28

An object that absorbs all infrared radiation incident on it and doesn’t reflect or transmit any infrared radiation.