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IGCSE Physics > Waves > Flashcards

Waves Flashcards

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1
Q

Define wave

A

Transfer of energy without transfer of matter

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2
Q

Define longitude wave

A

Direction of vibration is parallel to the direction of wave travel

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3
Q

Define Transverse wave

A

Direction of vibration is perpendicular to the direction of wave travel

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4
Q

List the 6 features of a wave

A

1) Wavefront
2) Wavelength
3) Frequency
4) Crest
5) Trough
6) Amplitude
7) Wavespeed

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5
Q

Describe wavelength

A

The distance between 2 successive trough (In meters)

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6
Q

Describe amplitude

A

Maximum displacement from the equilibrium point (meters)

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7
Q

Describe frequency

A

number complete waves generated per one second (S^-1 or Hertz)

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8
Q

Describe period

A

Time for 1 complete wave to be generated (Seconds)

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9
Q

Describe wavefront [2]

A

1) A line drawn to connect all points that are in phase in a wave
2) Crest of the wave

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10
Q

Describe the crest

A

The part of a wave with the most magnitude; the highest part of a wave

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11
Q

Describe the trough

A

The part of a wave with the least magnitude; the lowest part of a wave

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12
Q

Wave speed (V)

A

= Frequency (f) x Wavelength (λ)

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13
Q

Law of reflection

A

Incident angle = relfected angle

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14
Q

All waves will [3]

A

1) Reflect
2) Refract
3) diffract

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15
Q

Define wave refraction

A

1) Changes the direction of wave in different medium due to the change in its speed
2)When a wave slows down it bends towards the normal (Vice versa)
3) Slows down when traveling through mediums of higher refractive index

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16
Q

Define wave diffraction

A

The spreading of waves when going through a narrow opening

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17
Q

When is the diffraction wave most pronounced?

A

Size of opening is approx equal to the wavelength

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18
Q

Refraction of light to more dense material

A

Ray bends towards normal

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19
Q

Refraction of light to less dense material

A

Ray bends away from normal

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20
Q

Define critical angle

A

1) As incidence angle increase, refracted angle increases too
2) When the refracted angle becomes 90 degree the incident angle is critical angle, c

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21
Q

Define internal reflection

A

1) When light travels from a denser medium to a less dense medium, the refracted angle is larger than the incident angle (r > i)
2) some light is internally reflected

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22
Q

Refractive index formula fo r angles

A

n= sin i/ sin r

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23
Q

Describe an optic fibre

A

Thin fibre of glass or clear plastic that can carry light from one end to another

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24
Q

3 advantages of using optic fibre for telecommunication

A

1) Transmission of large amounts of information over great distances
2) Light doesn’t leak out of the fibre so it can travel longer before signal is weak
3) It cannot be tapped (Listened on by others)

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25
Q

What happens to light as it travels through a prism?

A

1) White light may be separated into all its colours by passing it through a prism

2) refraction

3) Violet light is refracted the most, whilst red light is refracted the least
This splits up the colours to form a spectrum

26
Q

How does red and violet corresponds to different wave lengths

A

1) Red has the longest wavelength (and the lowest frequency and energy)

2) Violet has the shortest wavelength (and the highest frequency and energy)

27
Q

Define monochromatic light

A

single-wavelength light

28
Q

Main regions of the electromagnetic spectrum

A

1) Radiowaves
2) Microwaves
3) Infrared
4) Visible light waves
5) Ultra violet
6)X-Ray
7) Y-Ray

29
Q

Y rays usage

A

1) Also known as gama rays
used in treating cancer
2) sterilising medical instruments

30
Q

Give examples of transverse waves

A

Light and radio

31
Q

Give examples of longitude waves

A

Sound
Ultrasound

32
Q

Which type of waves cannot travel in a vaccum

A

Longitude waves needs a medium to travel through

33
Q

Draw a diagram of a longitude wave and label compression, wave lengthm and rarefraction

A

Compression is the high density area
Rarefraction is the low density area
Wave length starts from 1 compression to the next compression

34
Q

Speed of light in air

A

340m/s

35
Q

Refractive index formula with speed

A

Speed of light in vacuum /speed of light in material

36
Q

Light slows down as it enters glass block explain what happens to light in terms of wavefronts

A

One side of wave front slows down before the other side
The wavefront bends at the boundary
This causes the wave to bend towards the normal

37
Q

Describe a method of using water waves to demonstrate refraction [4]

A

1) Generate waves in a tank filled with shallow water.
2) Place a flat object under the surface of the water to change the depth partway along the tank.
3) Ensure that the waves are hitting the boundary of the shallower water at a non-perpendicular angle. 4) This will cause the waves to change direction as a result of their change in speed

38
Q

How to measure the speed of sound in air [5]

A

1) Produce sharp sounds used for measurement
2) Use a suitable reflecting surface from which to reflect the sound off
3) Measure the distance travelled by sound
4) Measure the time for sound to travel the measured distance
5) Use speed = distance / time equation to calculate the speed of sound; [1 mark]

39
Q

Define light dispersion

A

When light travels through a triangular prism, a band of colour, spectrum is oberseved. Because different colour has a different refraction due to different frequencies

40
Q

Speed of light in air

A

3.0 × 108 m/s

41
Q

Investigating Reflection

A

1) Reflection can be shown by the waves hitting a plane (straight) surface, such as a wall or mirror
2)

42
Q

Refractive Index & Critical Angle formula

A

n = 1/sin c

43
Q

Explain the properties of X-rays that make them useful in airport security [2]

A

1) X-rays are transmitted through less dense materials
2) absorbed by denser materials

44
Q

explain why γ-rays are dangerous to living things [2]

A

1) Gamma rays are ionising high-energy
2) Gamma rays may damage or mutate cells
3) Gamma rays may cause radiation burns

45
Q

Why is Short wavelength visible light and infrared radiation are used to achieve high rates for broadband

A

1) Radiation with a short wavelength has a high frequency
2) More information / data is transferred per second

46
Q

WHy is X ray dangerous in medical operations and why is visible lights preferred [3]

A

1) X-rays penetrate soft-tissue
2) Visible light is reflected by soft tissue
3) X-rays may cause internal damage

47
Q

Draw the path of visible light along the fibre from one end to the other in an optical fibre

A

Angles of incidence and reflection are equal (by eye) in each total internal reflection eoughly 90 degrees

48
Q

why does light not reach blockage at 50 degrees [3]

A

1) The angle of incidence is less than 50°
2)At the point where the fibre bends / turns the corner
3)(Therefore) the light is refracted / leaves the fibre

49
Q

State a typical value for the speed of sound in a liquid

A

A value in the range of 900 m/s to 2000 m/s

50
Q

Explain how an echoe is formed

A

When sound waves reflect of hard surfaces

51
Q

Define pitch [2]

A

1) Highness or lowness of a tone
2) High pitch = high frequency
Low pitch = low frequency

52
Q

Define volume [2]

A

1) Loud or quietness of sound
2) High amplitude = loud volume
Low amplitude = quiet volume

53
Q

Human hearing range

A

20hz - 20000hz

54
Q

What is the name given to the low frequencies below 20hz

A

Infrasound

55
Q

What is the name given to high frequencies above 20,000hz

A

Ultrasound

56
Q

Explain, in terms of diffraction, why a car radio may pick up low frequency radio signals but
not pick up high frequency radio signals when the car is travelling behind a hill.

A

1)High frequencies have short wavelengths
2) Short wavelengths diffract less

57
Q

Explain why the rays in optic fibre does not leave the fibre

A

1) The incidence angle is greater than critical angle so internal reflection occurs

58
Q

Speed of sound formula

A

2xdistance to the wall/time taken

59
Q

Speed of sound in liquid

A

1500m/s

60
Q

Speed of sound in solid

A

5000 m/s

61
Q

The sound wave passes from the end of the beam into air state 2 differences in wavelength and speed

A

both decrease

IGCSE Physics (9 decks)

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