Waves Flashcards
What is a wave?
A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy through space or matter.
True or False: Sound waves are longitudinal waves.
True
Define frequency in the context of sound waves.
Frequency is the number of oscillations of a wave per unit time, typically measured in Hertz (Hz).
What is the relationship between frequency and pitch?
Higher frequency sound waves produce higher pitches, while lower frequency sound waves produce lower pitches.
Fill in the blank: The speed of sound is affected by the __________ of the medium through which it travels.
properties
What type of wave is light?
Light is an electromagnetic wave.
True or False: Light waves can travel through a vacuum.
True
Define refraction.
Refraction is the bending of a wave as it passes from one medium to another due to a change in speed.
What occurs when light waves reflect off a surface?
When light waves reflect, they bounce off a surface at an angle equal to the angle of incidence.
What is the visible spectrum?
The visible spectrum is the range of wavelengths of light that can be detected by the human eye.
How do colors mix in additive color mixing?
In additive color mixing, colors are created by combining different wavelengths of light, where red, green, and blue are the primary colors.
What happens to light when it passes through a prism?
When light passes through a prism, it is refracted and separated into its component colors.
Fill in the blank: The unit of wavelength is __________.
meters
What is amplitude in sound waves?
Amplitude is the maximum extent of a wave’s oscillation, which relates to the loudness of the sound.
True or False: The human ear can detect all frequencies of sound.
False
What is the range of human hearing in Hertz?
The range of human hearing is approximately 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
Define reflection in the context of waves.
Reflection is the bouncing back of a wave when it encounters a barrier or a different medium.
What is the primary color of light that, when mixed with blue, produces cyan?
Green
Fill in the blank: The __________ is responsible for converting sound waves into electrical signals in the human ear.
cochlea
What type of wave interaction occurs when two waves meet and combine?
Interference
What is the speed of sound in air at room temperature?
Approximately 343 meters per second.
True or False: The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
True
What phenomenon explains the change in color of an object as it moves towards or away from an observer?
Doppler effect
What do we call the phenomenon where light bends around corners?
Diffraction
