Waves

Question 1

What is meant by a “Transverse wave”?

Answer 1

A wave in which the medium oscillates at right angles to the wave motion

Question 2

What is meant by a “Longitudinal wave”?

Answer 2

A wave in which the medium oscillates at parallel to the wave motion

Question 3

What is meant by the “Wavelength” of a wave?

Answer 3

The horizontal distance between any two repeating points of the wave (eg peak to peak) measured in meters (m)

Question 4

What is meant by the “Amplitude” of a wave?

Answer 4

The distance between the equilibrium point and a peak or trough, measured in meters (m)

Question 5

What is meant by the “Period” of a wave?

Answer 5

The taken taken for one wave to pass a point, measured in seconds (s)

Question 6

What is meant by the “Speed” of a Wave?

Answer 6

A measure of how fast a wave is travelling, measured in meters per second (m/s)

Question 7

What is meant by the “Frequency” of a wave?

Answer 7

The number of waves passing a point in one second, measured in Hertz (Hz)

Question 8

Give an example of a Transverse wave.

Answer 8

Light
Water waves
Seismic waves
Electromagnetic waves
Vibrations on a guitar string
Mexican wave in a crowd

Question 9

Give an example of a Longitudinal wave.

Answer 9

Sound

Question 10

What is meant by “Intfrasound”?

Answer 10

A sound with a frequnecy of less than 20Hz

Question 11

What is meant by “Ultrasound”?

Answer 11

A sound with a frequency of more than 20,000Hz

Question 12

What is the Speed of Sound in air?

Answer 12

v = 340 m/s

Question 13

What is the Speed of Light?

Answer 13

300,000,000 m/s

Question 14

State a detector of Radio waves.

Answer 14

Aerial

Question 15

State a detector of Microwaves.

Answer 15

Microwave Diode

Question 16

State a detector of Infrared radiation.

Answer 16

CCD chip

Question 17

State a detector of Visible Light.

Answer 17

Photographic film

Question 18

State a detector of Ultraviolet radiation.

Answer 18

Fluorescent Dyes

Question 19

State a detector of X Rays.

Answer 19

Photographic Film

Question 20

State a detector of Gamma Rays.

Answer 20

GM tube and counter

Question 21

State an application of Radio Waves

Answer 21

Long range communication

Question 22

State an application of Microwaves

Answer 22

Mobile phone communication

Question 23

State an application of Infrared radiation.

Answer 23

TV remote control signals

Question 24

State an application of Visible Light in Medicine

Answer 24

Endoscopy

Question 25

State an application of Ultraviolet radiation

Answer 25

Acne treatment

Question 26

State an application of X Rays.

Answer 26

Imaging broken bones

Question 27

State an application of Gamma Rays.

Answer 27

Medical Tracers

Question 28

What is meant by the "Normal line" in an optics diagram?

Answer 28

Dashed line at 90 degrees to the surface, where all angles are measured from.

Question 29

What is meant by the "Incident ray" in an optics diagram?

Answer 29

The ray of light ‘hitting’ the surface in question

Question 30

What is meant by the "Reflected ray" in an optics diagram?

Answer 30

The ray of light that has undergone reflection

Question 31

What is meant by the "Refracted ray" in an optics diagram?

Answer 31

The ray of light that has undergone refraction

Question 32

What is meant by the "Angle of incidence"?

Answer 32

The angle between the normal and the incident ray.

Question 33

What is meant by the "Angle of Reflection"?

Answer 33

The angle between the normal and the reflected ray.

Question 34

What is meant by the "Angle of Refraction"?

Answer 34

The angle between the normal and the refracted ray.

Question 35

What is the "Law of reflection"?

Answer 35

For a mirrored surface, the angle of Incidence of a ray of light is equal to the angle of Reflection.

Question 36

What is meant by "Refraction"?

Answer 36

The process by which a ray of Light changes speed as it moves between materials of different density.

Question 37

What is meant by "Diffraction"?

Answer 37

When a wave passes an object, the wave's path can be distorted by the object's edge, causing the edge of the wave to change direction.