Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

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


See full index

Physics > Waves > Flashcards

Waves Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two types of waves?

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

What is a transverse wave?

A

A wave for which the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.

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

What is a longitudinal wave?

A

A wave for which the oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer

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

Give two examples of transverse waves.

A
  1. Electromagnetic waves
  2. Seismic s-waves
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Give two examples of longitudinal waves

A
  1. Sound waves
  2. Seismic p-waves
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the two parts of a longitudinal wave called?

A

Compressions and rarefractions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a waves amplitude?

A

The maximum displacement of a point on a wave from its undisturbed position.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is wavelength?

A
  • The distance from a point on a wave to the same position on the adjacent wave
  • Most commonly peak to peak or trough to trough
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the frequency of a wave?

A

The number of waves that pass a given point each second

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

What is the unit used for frequency?

A

Hertz, Hz

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

What is meant by a frequency of 200 Hz?

A

200 waves pass a given point each second

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

What is wave speed?

A

The speed at which the wave moves or at which energy is transferred through a medium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What does a wave transfer?

A

Energy

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

What word is used to describe when a wave bounces off a surface?

A

Reflection

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

How do sound waves travel through a solid?

A

The particles in the solid vibrate and transfer kinetic energy through the material

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

What is the frequency range of human hearing?

A

20Hz - 20kHz
(1kHz = 1000Hz)

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

What are ultrasound waves?

A

Waves which have a frequency higher than the upper limit of human hearing
(20kHz)

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

Give an example use for ultrasound waves?

A

Medical or industrial imaging

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

What natural event causes seismic waves to be produced? What types are produced?

A
  • Earthquakes
  • They produce both P-waves and S-waves
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

State a difference between the mediums that P-waves and S-waves can travel through.

A

-P-waves travel through both solids and liquids
-S-waves only travel through solids

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What technique is used to detect objects in deep water and measure water depth?

A
  • Echo sounding
  • High frequency sound waves are emitted, reflected and detected
  • Time difference between emission and detection, alongside wave speed, are used to calculate distances
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What type of spectrum do electromagnetic waves form?

A

A continuous spectrum.

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

Order the types of electromagnetic radiation from lowest to highest frequency.

A
  • radio waves
  • microwaves
  • infrared
  • visible light
  • ultraviolet
  • x-rays
  • gamma rays
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

How do the speeds of EM radiation differ in a vacuum and in air?

A

Electromagnetic waves all travel at the same speed in a vacuum and in air

25
Q

What property of waves in different mediums causes refraction?

A
  • velocity
  • wave speed is slower in denser materials, causing refraction
26
Q

In which direction do waves refract when entering a denser medium?

A
  • they bend towards the normal
  • the angle of refraction is less than the angle of incidence
27
Q

What type of waves can be produced by oscillations in an electrical circuit?

A

Radio waves

28
Q

How can radio waves create an alternating current in a circuit?

A

When radio waves are absorbed, they can induce oscillations in a circuit with the same frequency as the waves themselves

29
Q

Where do games rays originate from?

A

They originate from changes in the nuclei of atoms

30
Q

What health effects can ultraviolet waves cause?

A
  • they can cause the skin to age prematurely
  • they can increase the risk of developing skin cancer
31
Q

What health effects can x-rays and gamma rays cause?

A
  • they are ionising radiation so can cause mutations in genes
  • they can lead to increased risk of developing various cancers
32
Q

Give three practical used for infrared radiation.

A
  1. Electrical heaters
  2. Cooking food
  3. Infrared cameras
33
Q

Give two practical uses for microwave radiation.

A
  1. Satellite communications
  2. Cooking food
34
Q

Give two practical uses for radio waves.

A
  1. Television transmission
  2. Radio transmission
35
Q

What wave phenomenon is used by lenses to form an image?

A

Refraction

36
Q

How does a convex lens form an image?

A

Parallel rays of light are refracted and brought together at a point known as the principal focus

37
Q

What is meant by the focal length of a lens?

A

The distance from the lens to the principal focus

38
Q

What is the difference between the image produced by a convex and a concave lens?

A
  • convex lenses can produce real or virtual images
  • concave lenses can only produce virtual images
39
Q

Why does magnification not have a unit?

A

-it is the ratio between image height and object height
-ratios do not require units

40
Q

What determines the colour of visible light waves?

A

The wavelength and frequency of the light waves

41
Q

What colour of visible light has the highest frequency?

A

Blue

42
Q

What colour of visible light has the largest wavelength?

A

Red

43
Q

What is meant by the term ‘specular reflection’?

A

Reflection from a smooth surface in a single direction

44
Q

What is meant by the term ‘diffuse reflection’?

A

Reflection from a rough surface which causes scattering

45
Q

How does a red colour filter work?

A
  • a red filter absorbs all wavelengths of light other than those in the red range f the spectrum
  • this means only red light passes through the filter
46
Q

What determines the colour of an opaque object?

A
  • different objects reflect different wavelengths of light by different amounts
  • the wavelengths that are most strongly reflected determine the colour
47
Q

What happens to the wavelengths of light that aren’t reflected by an opaque object?

A

Any wavelengths that aren’t reflected are absorbed by the object

48
Q

What colour does an object appear if all wavelengths are reflected by equal amounts?

A

White

49
Q

What colour does an object appear if all wavelengths are absorbed?

A

Black

50
Q

What do all bodies emit and absorb?

A

Infrared radiation

51
Q

What happens to the quantity of infrared radiation emitted by an object as temperature increases?

A

The hotter the object, the more infrared radiation it will emit

52
Q

What is a perfect black body?

A

An object that absorbs all of the radiation that is incident upon it

53
Q

How much radiation does a perfect black body reflect or transmit?

A

None

54
Q

Why is a perfect black body the best possible emitter of radiation?

A
  • it is a perfect absorber since it absorbs all radiation incident on it
  • a perfect absorbing is also a perfect emitter
55
Q

Other than the intensity of radiation emitted, how does increasing the temperature of an object affect its emissions?

A

The wavelength distribution of any emission is dependent on the objects temperature

56
Q

What can be said about the rates of emission and absorption for a body at constant temperature?

A

The body is absorbing and emitting radiation at the same rate

57
Q

What can be said about the rates of emission and absorption for a body increasing in temperature?

A

The body is absorbing radiation faster than it is emitting it

58
Q

Give two factors that affect the temperature of the Earth

A
  1. The Earth’s rate of absorption and emission of radiation
  2. The amount of reflection of radiation into space

Physics (8 decks)

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