Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

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


See full index

Physics paper 1 > Waves > Flashcards

Waves Flashcards

1
Q

longitudinal wave

A

particles oscillation is parallel to direction of wave propagation

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

examples of longitudinal waves

A

sound waves, seismic waves

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

transverse wave

A

particle oscillation is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation, only transverse waves can be polarised

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

examples of a transverse wave

A

electromagnetic radiation

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

particle displacement

A

the distance of a particle from its equilibrium position in given direction

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

amplitude

A

the maximum displacement of a particle from its equilibrium position

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

wave speed

A

frequency x wavelength

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

phase

A

the position of a certain point along a wave cycle

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

phase difference

A

the amount one wave lags behind another in radians

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

frequency

A

number of oscillations of a particle per second

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

time period

A

the time taken for one complete oscillation

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

wavelength

A

shortest distance between two point in phase

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

wavelength for stationary wave

A

distance between alternate nodes or distance from peak to peak/ trough to trough

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

diffraction

A

the spreading out of a wave (when it passes through a gap or past the edge of an object

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

refraction

A

wave bends/ changes diffraction when entering a media with a different RI due to changing speed.

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

polarisation

A

when a transverse wave only oscillates in one plane

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

application of polarisation in sunglasses

A
  • light reflected from surfaces is weakly polarised in one plane
  • polaroid in sunglasses can be orientated at a certain angle to remove this reflected light reducing the glare
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

application of polarisation in tv transmitters and aerials

A
  • signals from tv transmitter are polarised
  • aerials need to be orientated so they are in the same plane as the transmitted signal for maximum strength
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

superposition

A

where two or more waves meet, the resultant displacement equals the vector sum of the individual displacements

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

conditions for formation of stationary waves

A
  • two waves travelling past each other in opposite directions
  • with the same wavelength and frequency
  • similar amplitudes and oscillating in the same plane
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

monochromatic

A

single wavelength

22
Q

safety with a laser

A
  • avoid looking along the beam of a laser
  • wear laser safety goggles
  • avoid reflections
  • put up a warning sign that a laser is in use
23
Q

properties of laser light

A
  • monochromatic - single wavelength
  • coherent - waves have a constant phase difference and the same wavelength/frequency
  • collimated - produces an approximately parallel beam
24
Q

Stationary wave formation in a microwave

A
  • waves travelling from the transmitter reflect off the walls of the microwave.
  • the waves from the transmitter are oscillating in the opposite direction but the same plane as the reflected waves with the same frequency and wavelength hence form a stationary wave.
24
Q

frequency of 1st harmonic

A

f=1/2l x (T/µ)½

25
Q

wavelength of stationary waves for first 4 harmonics

A

length of string = L
1st harmonic: λ = 2 L
2nd harmonic: λ = L
3rd harmonic: λ = 2/3 L
4th harmonic: λ = 1/2 L

26
Q

mass per unit length

A

µ = mass/length = density x Area

27
Q

the difference in resonant frequency due to altering the properties of the string

A

longer string = lower resonant frequency as half wavelength is longer
heavier string = lower resonant frequency as waves travel slower
lower string = lower resonant frequency as waves travel slower

28
Q

nodes and antinodes

A

nodes - points of no oscillation / zero amplitude
antinodes - points of maximum amplitude

29
Q

path difference

A

the extra distance travelled by one wave than another resulting in constructive or destructive interference

30
Q

coherent sources

A

waves from two sources that have:
- constant phase difference
- same wavelength and frequency

31
Q

explanation of formation of fringes with Young’s slit

A
  • the light from the two slits is coherent as the slits are an equal distance from the light source and the light is coherent as it is filtered so has the same wavelength and zero phase difference
  • interference fringes are formed where the light from the two slits overlaps
  • bright fringes are formed by constructive interference because light from the two slits are in phase
  • dark fringes formed by destructive interference because light from the two slits is in anti-phase
32
Q

appearance of interference fringes from two vertical slit illuminated with yellow light

A
  • vertical or parallel
  • equally spaced
  • black and yellow bands
33
Q

fringe width changes

A
  • slits closer together - w increases
  • screen further away - w increases
  • shorter wavelength - w decreases
34
Q

width of slits is reduced

A

fringe separation increases as s decreases

35
Q

appearance of white light trough Young’s slits

A
  • central fringe is white
  • side fringes are continuous spectra
  • bright fringe would be blue on the side nearest the central fringes and red furthest away due to difference in λ
  • bright fringes merge furtehr away from centre. fringes are of equal width but the central fringe is the brightest by far
36
Q

appearance of diffraction pattern from a single slit

A
  • central bright fringe has twice width of other bright fringes
  • the other bright fringes have a much lower intensity and are equally spaced
37
Q

single slit pattern changes

A

narrower slit width = wider pattern/ increased separation and reduced intensity
shorter wavelength = narrower pattern/ reduced separation and greater intensity

38
Q

lines per mm of a grating

A

spacing, d, of slits on a diffraction grating given by d = 1/number of lines per mm. Units: mm

39
Q

derivation of nλ = dsinθ

A

between slits a and b:
- path difference to nth maximum = nλ
- from trigonometry sinθ = nλ/d

40
Q

applications of gratings to spectral analysis of light from stars

A
  • dark lines in spectrum from a star
  • reveal the composition of elements present in the start’s atmosphere
41
Q

how does light change moving from air to glass

A
  • speed- decreases
  • wavelength - decreases
  • frequency - remains constant
42
Q

conditions for total internal reflection

A
  • angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle
  • the refractive index of the material light is going from is greater than the refractive index of the material the light is going to
43
Q

total internal reflection

A

when all the light is reflected back into the material

44
Q

critical angle

A

angle of incidence which produces an angle of refraction of 90 degrees

45
Q

Structure of an optical fibre

A

Central core, surrounded by cladding. Refractive index of core must be greater than refractive index of cladding (to ensure total internal reflection)

46
Q

purpose of cladding

A
  • prevents crossover of signal/data to other fibres
  • prevents scratching of the core
  • reduces pulse broadening/ dispersion
47
Q

use of optical fibres

A
  • communication - improve transmission of data/high speed internet
  • endoscopes - improved medical diagnosis
48
Q

how do pulses of light change travelling down optical fibres

A
  • reduced amplitude due to absorption/ energy loss and scattering within fibre
  • pulse broadening due to multipath dispersion from rays taking different paths and different times to travel down same fiber
49
Q

how is multipath dispersion reduced

A

core of fibre is made very narrow/thin and the signal is regenerated every so often

Physics paper 1 (5 decks)

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