waves Flashcards
EM wave spectrum from lowest to highest frequency
radio, microwaves, IR, visible, UV, X-ray, gamma
uses of radio waves
broadcasting and communications
uses of microwaves
cooking and satellite transmissions
uses of infrared waves
heaters and night vision equipment
uses of visible light
optical fibres and photography
uses of ultraviolet waves
fluorescent lamps
uses of x-rays
observing the internal structure of objects and materials and medical applications
uses of gamma rays
sterilising food and medical equipment
dangers of microwaves
internal heating of body tissue
dangers of infrared waves
skin burns
dangers of ultraviolet waves
damage to surface cells and blindness
dangers of gamma rays
cancer, mutations
what are waves
waves are a disturbance in a medium which transfers energy and information
what are transverse waves
waves in which the particles vibrate perpendicular to wave movement
transverse wave examples
light waves, water waves, S-waves, EM waves
what are longitudinal waves
waves in which the particles vibrate parallel to wave movement
longitudinal wave examples
sound waves, P-waves
what is the time period in waves
time taken for one complete wave/cycle
what is frequency in waves
the complete number of waves per second
how do you measure the speed of sound with microphones
- use speed = distance/time
- measure the distance between the two microphones using a tape measure
- distance must be more than 1 metre
- measure the time it takes for sound to travel from microphone A to microphone B
- repeat and take average
how do you measure the speed of sound using ears
- use speed = distance/time
- measure the distance between the two people using a trundle wheel
- distance must be more than 100m
- measure the time taken from when student sees the clap to when they hear it using a stop watch
- repeat and take average
optical fibres:
- outer cladding has lower refractive index than inner core
- light is transmitted down optical fibres by total internal reflection
- optical fibres can bend to carry light to hard to reach places
doctors use endoscopes to look inside the body of a patient. explain how optical fibres are used in endoscopes.
- optical fibres bend
- some fibres carry light to the inside of the patient
- some fibres transmit the reflected light
- light passes up/down fibres by total internal reflection
- light is reflected inside the patient
- image is analysed by computer
how is light reflected in right-angled prisms
light is totally internally reflected
-> the image appears as a refection at 90 degrees to and below the object