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gcse physics > waves > Flashcards

waves Flashcards

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1
Q

waves

A

all types of waves are caused by a vibrating source, and transfer energy and information WITHOUT transferring matter. all waves can be reflected, refracted (and diffracted) they also undergo the doppler effect

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2
Q

transverse waves

A

the oscillations in a transverse wave are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer

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3
Q

longitudinal waves

A

the oscillations in a longitudinal wave are parallel to the direction of energy transfer

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4
Q

properties of a wave

A
  • amplitude
  • wavelength
  • frequency
  • time-period
  • wave speed
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5
Q

wavefronts

A

a line or surface that goes through the crest of the wave

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6
Q

time-period

A

the time it takes for one complete oscillation

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7
Q

amplitude

A

the maximum displacement of particles from their equilibrium position

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8
Q

wave speed

A

how fast the wave is moving

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9
Q

wavelength

A

the distance of one entire oscillation

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10
Q

frequency

A

number of complete oscillations per second

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11
Q

examples of transverse waves

A
  • light waves
  • ripples on the surface of water
  • electromagnetic waves
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12
Q

examples of longitudinal waves

A
  • sound waves
  • seismic p waves
  • ultrasound
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13
Q

frequency formula

A

F=1/T

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14
Q

wave speed formula

A

wave speed=frequency x wavelength

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15
Q

doppler effect

A

the apparent change in the frequency of a wave caused by relative motion between the source of the wave and its observer

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16
Q

electromagnetic spectrum

A

radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays

they all travel at the same speed in free space

  • radio waves have the longest wavelength and lowest frequency
  • gamma rays have the highest frequency and the shortest wavelengths
17
Q

uses of radio waves

A
  • communication and broadcasting : radio waves are emitted by a transmitter. as they arrive at an aerial they are detected and the information they carry can be received. televisions and FM radios use radio waves with the shorter wavelengths to carry their signals
18
Q

use of microwaves

A
  • cooking: water molecules in the food absorb the microwaves, they penetrate a few centimeters into the food before being absorbed. the energy is then conducted or convected to other parts of the food
  • satellite communication: the signal from a transmitter is transmitted into space, where its picked up by the satellite dish orbiting thousands of kilometres above the Earth.
19
Q

uses of infrared radiation

A
  • night-vision equipment: the infrared radiation given out by objects can be detected in the dark of night by night-vision equipment. the equipment turns it into an electrical signal, which is displayed on a screen as a picture, allowing things which would otherwise be hidden in the dark to be seen
  • heating
20
Q

uses of visible light

A
  • optical fibres: an optical fibre is a very thin piece of fibre that is made of two different types of glass. the centre is made of a type of glass with a high refractive index, surrounded by a different type of glass with a lower refractive index. since the fibre is very narrow, light entering the inner core always strikes the boundary of the two glasses at an angle greater than the critical angle. no light escapes across this boundary, the light is totally internally reflected
  • photography: cameras use a lens to focus visible light onto a light-sensitive film. the lens aperture controls how much light enters the camera. the shutter speed controls how long the film is exposed to the light
21
Q

uses of ultraviolet light

A
  • fluorescent lamps: ultraviolet radiation is absorbed and then visible light is emitted. the UV radiation is absorbed by a phosphor coating on the inside of the glass which emits visible light
22
Q

uses of x-rays

A
  • internal structure of objects: x-rays are directed through the object onto a detector plate. the brighter bits are where fewer x-rays get through. they can pass through soft tissues in the body but not bone
23
Q

uses of gamma rays

A
  • sterilising medical equipment and food: gamma rays kill the microbes
24
Q

detrimental effects of EM waves

A
  • microwaves: internal heating of body tissue
  • infrared: skin burns
  • visible light: retina damage
  • ultraviolet: blindness, skin cancer (damage to surface cells)
  • gamma rays: cell DNA mutation, cancer
25
Q

precautions for EM waves

A
  • microwaves: don’t stand directly against the microwave ovens while operating
  • infrared: protective clothing and eyewear
  • ultraviolet: protective goggles and skin creams
  • gamma rays: store sources in lead-lined boxes
26
Q

law of reflection

A

the angle of incidence=the angle of reflection

27
Q

speed of light in air + vacuum

A

300,000,000 m/s

28
Q

reflection

A

when a light bounces off an even surface, this is called reflection

29
Q

refraction

A

when a wave slows down or speeds up as it crosses the boundary between two medias

30
Q

snells law formula

A

n=sin i/sin r

31
Q

light going from an optically denser to less dense medium…

A

light going from an optically denser to a less dense medium (higher refractive index to lower) speeds up and bends away from the normal

32
Q

wavelengths and wavefronts in refraction

A

when a wave is refracted the wavelengths and wavefronts of the refracted ray are compressed. since the frequency stays the same and v=fxλ, the wave-speed decreases

33
Q

refraction in glass or water

A

when a ray of light travels from air to glass or water, it slows down when it crosses the border between the two medias. this change in speed may cause a change in direction. this change in direction of a ray is known as refraction

34
Q

the critical angle

A

the critical angle is the smallest possible angle of incidence at which light rays are totally internally reflected

35
Q

total internal reflection

A

light going from an optically denser to less dense medium (higher refractive index to lower) speeds up and bends away from the normal. if you keep increasing the angle of incidence then eventually the angle of refraction (r) will reach 90 degrees. eventually i reaches a critical angle (c) for which r=90, the light is refracted along the boundary. above this critical angle, so when i is greater than c, you get total internal reflection meaning that no light leaves the medium

36
Q

the prismatic periscope

A

total internal reflection allows us to see objects that aren’t in our direct line of sight using prisms, this is how a periscope works. the ray of light travels into one prism where it is totally internally reflected by 90 degrees. it then travels to another prism lower down where it is totally internally reflected by another 90 degrees. the ray is now travelling parallel to its initial path but at a different height

37
Q

optical fibres

A

an optical fibre is a very thin piece of fibre that is made of two different types of glass. the centre is made of a type of glass with a high refractive index, surrounded by a different type of glass with a lower refractive index. since the fibre is very narrow, light entering the inner core always strikes the boundary of the two glasses at an angle greater than the critical angle. no light escapes across this boundary, the light is totally internally reflected

38
Q

critical angle formula

A

sin c=1/n

39
Q

frequency range for human hearing

A

20-20,000Hz

gcse physics (8 decks)

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