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MCAT Physics and Math > Waves > Flashcards

Waves Flashcards

1
Q

Wave speed?

A

v = lamba. f

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2
Q

Angular frequency?

A

w = 2pif

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3
Q

Speed of sound?

A

v = squaroot ( B/density)

B= bulk modulus

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4
Q

Doppler effect?

A

f’ = f . (v +/- vd) / (v -/+ vs)

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5
Q

Intensity of sound? Unit?

A

I = P(ower)/A

in Watt/m^2

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6
Q

Sound level?

A

decibel = 10 log (Io/I)

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7
Q

Change in sound level?

A

Decibel f = decibel i + 10 . log (If/Ii)

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8
Q

Range of radio waves?

A

10^9 - 1 m

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9
Q

Range of microwaves?

A

1m - 1 mm

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10
Q

Range of infrared?

A

1 mm - 700 nm

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11
Q

Range of visible light?

A

400 - 700 nm

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12
Q

Range of UV?

A

400 - 50 nm

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13
Q

Range of x-rays?

A

50 - 10^-2 nm

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14
Q

Range of gamma rays?

A

less than 10^-2 nm

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15
Q

What is the law of reflection?

A

theta 1 = theta 2

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16
Q

What is the optics equation?

A

1/f = 1/i + 1/o = 2/r

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17
Q

What is magnification equal to?

A

m = -i / o

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18
Q

What is the index of refraction equal to?

A

n = c/v

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19
Q

How does the light bend when n2>n1

A

Light bends toward the normal

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20
Q

How does the light bend when n2

A

Light bends away from the normal

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21
Q

What is the equation for Snell’s law?

A

n1 . sin theta 1 = n2 . sin theta 2

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22
Q

What is the equation for the critical angle?

A

theta c = sin -1 (n2/n1)

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23
Q

What does the critical angle represent?

A

The minimum incident angle at which total internal reflection occurs

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24
Q

When should the lensmaker equation be used? What is it?

A

When the thickness of the lens is NOT negligible

1/f = (n-1) x (1/r1 - 1/r2)

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25
Q

What is the order of colors in the visible spectrum and their wavelengths?

A 
Red: 620-750
Orange: 590-620
Yellow: 570-590
Green: 490-570
Blue: 450-490
Violet: 380-450
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26
Q

What does m (-) mean?

A

Inverted image

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27
Q

What does m (+) mean?

A

Upright image

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28
Q

What does |m|>1 mean?

A

Magnified image

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29
Q

What does m = 1 mean?

A

Same size image

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30
Q

What does |m| inferior to 1 mean?

A

Reduced image

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31
Q

What is the image when the object is placed between F and C of a concave mirror?

A

Real, inverted, magnified

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32
Q

What is the image when the object is placed at F of a concave mirror?

A

No image

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33
Q

What is the image when the object is placed between F and concave mirror?

A

Virtual, upright, magnified

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34
Q

What does a r>0 mean for a mirror?

A

Concave = converging

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35
Q

What does i>0 mean for a mirror and lens?

A

Real image

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36
Q

What does o>0 mean for a mirror?

A

Object is in front of the mirror

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37
Q

What does r

A

Convex = diverging

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38
Q

What does i negative mean?

A

Virtual image

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39
Q

What is the power of a lens equal to? What is the unit?

A

1/f (focal length)

Diopters

40
Q

What image will be produced by a convex mirror?

A

Virtual, upright, reduced

41
Q

How does the “real” side compare between mirrors and lenses?

A

Real side mirror = in front of mirror

Real side lenses = opposite side from light source

42
Q

What does f (-) mean for a lens

A

Concave = diverging

43
Q

What does f>0 mean for a mirror?

A

Concave = converging

44
Q

What does f (-) mean for a mirror?

A

Convex = diverging

45
Q

What does f>0 mean for a lens?

A

Convex = converging

46
Q

What does r (-) mean for a lens?

A

Concave = diverging

47
Q

What does r>0 mean for a lens?

A

Convex = converging

48
Q

What is the power of the eye equal to?

A

60 diopters

49
Q

How to calculate the focal length of a multiple lens system?

A

1/f = 1/f1 + 1/f2

50
Q

How to calculate the power of a multiple lens system?

A

P = P1 + P2

51
Q

How to calculate the magnification of a multiple lens system?

A

m = m1 x m2

52
Q

How to calculate the positions of dark fringes in a single slit-lens setup?

A

a x sin theta = n x lamba
a = width of slit
theta = angle between line from center of slit and fringe
n = number of the fringe

53
Q

How to calculate the positions of dark fringes in a double slit-lens setup?

A

d x sin theta = (n + 0.5) x lamba
d = distance between slits
theta = angle between line from center of slit and fringe
n = number of the fringe

54
Q

What are the minima?

A

Dark fringes

55
Q

What are the maxima?

A

Light fringes

56
Q

Does plane polarization affect? What does it not?

A

Amount of light passing through a medium = its intensity

Does not affect wavelength, frequency, or speed

57
Q

What does refraction affect? What does it not?

A

Wavelength

Does not affect frequency or amplitude

58
Q

How does conjugation affect the color of the UV light absorbed?

A

Higher degree of conjugation = higher wavelength light absorbed = lower energy color observed

59
Q

How can one increase the angle/degree of diffraction?

A

Decrease the slit width

Increase the wavelength

60
Q

Are sound waves longitudinal or transverse?

A

Longitudinal

61
Q

What types of waves are transverse?

A

Electromagnetic

62
Q

Assuming the distance o is positive, what can be said of inverted and upright images?

A

Inverted images are real

Upright images are virtual

63
Q

What is farsightedness?

64
Q

What is nearsightedness?

65
Q

What is the speed of sound in air?

66
Q

What is the speed of light in air?

A

3 x 10^8 m/s

67
Q

What is the range of audible frequencies?

A

20 = 20,000 Hz

68
Q

Which type of hearing declines with age?

A

High frequency hearing

69
Q

What does it mean when f = f’?

A

The detector and source are moving in same direction and at same speed

70
Q

What is the intensity of the threshold of hearing?

A

Io = 1 x 10^-12 W/m^2

71
Q

What are the two measures that intensity of sound is related to?

A
  1. Amplitude^2

2. 1/d^2 (distance to source)

72
Q

What is the wavelength of a wave in a string or pipe open at both ends?

A

lambda = 2L/n

n = number of antinodes = top of the wave

73
Q

What is the frequency of a wave in a string or pipe open at both ends?

A

f = n.v / 2L

n = number of antinodes

74
Q

What is the wavelength of a wave in a closed pipe?

A

lambda = 4L/n

n = number of quarter wavelengths

75
Q

What is the frequency of a wave in a closed pipe?

A

f = n.v / 4L

n = number of quarter wavelengths

76
Q

What does it mean when an object shatters at a certain frequency?

A

that frequency is very close to the object’s natural frequency

77
Q

What is damping?

A

Think of someone on a swing starting at full height. If they keep swinging without putting effort in, they will eventually come to a stop.

78
Q

What is the difference between how a lens and how a mirror refract light?

A

Lenses refract light at an angle that depends on its wavelength VS mirrors reflect light of all wavelengths at the same angle

79
Q

What does the distance from the center of the lens of the eye to the retina represent?

A

Always the image distance

80
Q

How does the focal length of the eye change?

A

Depending on the object distance: the closest to the eye, the smaller the focal length –> The ciliary muscles contract

81
Q

What images are produced by convex lenses (2 types)? Who needs them? Which is most common?

A

When O is further than F: Real inverted images (more common)
When O is between F and lens: Virtual upright
Farsighted

82
Q

What images are produced by concave lenses? Who needs them?

A

Virtual upright

Nearsighted

83
Q

How does an increase in temp affect the speed of sound?

A

Increase in temp = decrease in speed

84
Q

What does it mean when the image of convex lens is in front of the lens?

A

It is virtual –> i is negative

85
Q

What is the focal length of the relaxed eye? Why?

A

i, because the object is very far

86
Q

What is the lens of the eye: concave or convex? What type of images does it produce?

A

When O is further than F: Real inverted images (more common)

When O is between F and lens: Virtual upright

87
Q

Does a magnifying glass work underwater? Why?

A

No, because the angle will be closer to the normal

88
Q

Would an increase in the index of refraction increase the power of a lens? Why?

A

Yes, because it would increase the bending of light rays

89
Q

Would increasing r increase the power of a lens? Why?

A

No, because it would flatten the lens and reduce the degree to which light is bent

90
Q

Which type of lenses can create real inverted images?

A

Convex ONLY!

91
Q

What happens when you place an object at the focal point of a lens?

A

No image is formed, same as mirrors

92
Q

What does an inverted image look like?

A

Inverted up and down, and left and right

93
Q

What happens to the light wave during magnification?

A

Light reflects off the the object and refracts through the lens

94
Q

When do light waves diffract?

A

When they encounter obstacles or apertures

95
Q

When do light waves refract?

A

When they transition from one medium to another

96
Q

What happens when a frequency is moving toward you?

A

It’s getting higher

97
Q

What happens when a frequency is moving away from you?

A

It’s getting lower

MCAT Physics and Math (8 decks)

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