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Waves Flashcards

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1
Q

Which way do waves transfer energy?

A

The way they are travelling

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2
Q

What do waves have?

A
  • amplitude
  • wavelength
  • frequency
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3
Q

What is the amplitude of a wave ?

A

The maximum displacement of a point of the wave from its undisturbed position

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4
Q

What is wavelength?

A

The distance between the same point on two adjacent waves

Trough to trough

Crest to crest

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5
Q

What is frequency?

A

The number of complete waves padding a certain point per second

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6
Q

What is frequency measured in ?

A

Hertz. (Hz)

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7
Q

What is the period of a wave?

A

The amount of time it takes for a full cycle of the wave to pass a point

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8
Q

How do u calculate the period of a wave?

A

Period = 1
—————
Frequency

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9
Q

What is the equation for wave speed ?

A

Wave speed = frequency x wavelength

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10
Q

What type of waves are sound waves ?

A

Longitudinal

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11
Q

What type of waves are water ripples ?

A

Transverse

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12
Q

What are longitudinal waves ?

A

The oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer

Like pushing a spring

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13
Q

What are transverse waves?

A

The oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer

A spring wiggles from to side

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14
Q

What is wave speed ?

A

The speed at which energy is being transferred through a medium

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15
Q

What do longitudinal waves show?

A
  • compression

- rarefaction

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16
Q

How do u measure the speed of sound ?

A

With an oscilloscope

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17
Q

How do u measure the speed of water ripples ?

A

Using a strobe light

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18
Q

What is the rule for all reflected waves ?

A

Angle if incidence = Angle of refraction

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19
Q

What is the angle of incidence ?

A

The angle between the incoming wave and the normal

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20
Q

What is the angle of reflection ?

A

The angle between the reflected ray and the normal

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21
Q

What is the normal ?

A

And imaginary line that’s perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence

Usually A dotted line

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22
Q

What is the point of incidence ?

A

The point where the wave hits the boundary

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23
Q

When does specular reflection happen?

A

When a wave is reflected in a single direction by a smooth surface

Creates a clear reflection

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24
Q

What is diffuse reflection?

A

When a wave is reflected by a rough surface

Rays are scattered in lots of different directions

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25
Q

What is refraction ?

A

When light waves are bent when they enter a new media

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26
Q

What does the extent of refraction depend up on?

A

How much the wave speeds up or slows down

This depends on the density of the two materials

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27
Q

Which way does a wave bend if it speeds up?

A

Away from the normal

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28
Q

Which way does the wave bend if it slows down ?

A

Towards the normal

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29
Q

What happens to frequency and wavelength when a wave is refracted

A

Wavelength changes

Frequency stays the same

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30
Q

What is optical density of a material ?

A

A measure of how quickly light can travel through it

The higher the optical density, the slower the wave travels

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31
Q

What does the amount of light reflected depend on ?

A

The smoothness if the surface

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32
Q

What type of waves are EM waves ?

A

Transverse

They transfer energy from a source to an absorber

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33
Q

What is the electromagnetic spectrum ?

A
  • radio waves
  • micro wave
  • Infared
  • visible light
  • ultra violet
  • x rays
  • gamma rays
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34
Q

What happens to the frequency as u go along the EM spectrum ?

A

It increases

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35
Q

What happens to the wavelength as u go along the EM spectrum ?

A

It decreases

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36
Q

How are radio waves made?

A

By oscillating electric and magnetic fields

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37
Q

Waves can be …

A
  • Absorbed
  • Transmitted
  • Reflected
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38
Q

What do electromagnetic waves form ?

A

A continuous spectrum and a,l types of electromagnetic wave travel at the same velocity through a vacuum

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39
Q

Which electromagnetic waves do our eyes detect ?

A

Visible light

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40
Q

What are alternating currents made up of ?

A

Oscillating charges

As charges oscillate the produce oscillating electric and magnetic fields

Electromagnetic waves

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41
Q

How do leases form images ?

A

By refracting light and changing its direction

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42
Q

Describe a convex lease and how it works ?

A

Bulges outwards

Causes rays of light parallel to the axis to be brought together at the principle focus

Converge

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43
Q

What is the axis of a lens ?

A

The line passing through the middle of the lens

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44
Q

Describe a concave lens and how it works ?

A

It caves inwards

It causes rays of light parralel to the axis to spread out

Diverge

45
Q

What is the principal focus of a concave lens ?

A

The point where rays hitting the lens parallel to the axis appear

46
Q

What is the focal length ?

A

The distance from the centre lens to the principle focus

47
Q

What is the principle focus of a convex lens ?

A

Wher rays hutting the lens parallel to the axis all meet

48
Q

What images can menses produce ?

A

Real or virtual

49
Q

What is a real image?

A

Where the light from an object comes together to form an image in a screen

Like the image on an eyes retina

50
Q

What is a virtual image “

A

When the rays are diverging so the light from the object appears to be coming from a completely different place

Looking in a mirror

51
Q

How should u describe an image ?

A
  • How big it is
  • if it is upright or inverted
  • if it is real or virtual
52
Q

What is the equation for magnification ?

A

Magnification = image height
—————-
Real height

53
Q

What are the units for image height and real height?

A

Me or cm

54
Q

What lens do magnifying glasses use ?

A

Convex

55
Q

What is visible light made up of ?

A

A range of colours

56
Q

What do the colour and transparency’s of waves depend on?

A

Absorbed wave lengths

57
Q

What do red apples reflect “

A

Red waves lengths

Absorbs all the other colours

58
Q

What do white objects reflect?

A

All wavelengths of visible light

59
Q

What do transparent objects reflect ?

A

Objects transmit the light

Some can pass through

60
Q

What do black objects reflect ?

A

They absorb all wavelengths of visible light

61
Q

What colour is the object that absorbs all light ?

A

Black

62
Q

What colour is the object that reflects all light ?

A

White

63
Q

What are objects that transmit all light ?

A

Transparent or translucent

64
Q

What’s does transparent mean ?

A

You can see through

65
Q

What does translucent mean ?

A

You can partially see through

66
Q

What does opaque mean ?

A

You can’t see through it

67
Q

What do colour filters do ?

A

Filter out different wavelengths

So only certain colour are transmitted

68
Q

Name the two main types of lens ?

A

Convex and concave

69
Q

Which lens creates a real and virtual image

A

Convex

70
Q

Where is Infrared radiation emitted from?

A

From the surface of all objects

71
Q

What is a prefect black body ?

A

An object that absorbs all of the radiation incident on it

Doesn’t reflect or or transmit any radiation

72
Q

What are radio wave mainly used for ?

A

Communication

73
Q

What is the wavelength of a radio wave ?

A

Longer than 10cm

74
Q

What uses micro waves .?

A

Satellites

Microwave ovens

75
Q

What is infrared radiation used for ?

A

Monitoring temperature

Cooking

Electric heaters

Infrared cameras

76
Q

What does absorbing infared radiation do to an object ?

A

Make it hotter

77
Q

What is visible light used for ?

A

Fibre optic cables to transmit data

78
Q

What are optical fibres?

A

Thin glass or plastic fibres that can carry data over long distances as pulses of visible light

79
Q

What is ultraviolet used for ?

A
  • fluorescent light
  • security pens
  • sun tanning
  • energy Efficient lamps
80
Q

What produces ultra violet light ?

A

The sun

81
Q

What are X-rays and gamma rays used for?

A

Medical purposes

82
Q

What are the dangers of UV light ?

A
  • sunburn
  • skin ageing permanently
  • blindness
  • unversed dish of skin cancer
83
Q

What are the dangers of gamma rays and X-rays ?

A

They carry enough energy to knock off electrons

Causes gene mutation, cell destruction and cancer

84
Q

What is radiation dose measured in ?

A

Sieverts

1000mSv =1Sv

85
Q

What surfaces are best for absorbing and emitting radiation ?

A

Black is better than white

Matt is better than shiny

86
Q

What does the intensity and distribution of wavelengths emitted by an object depend on ?

A

The objects temperature

87
Q

What does the overall temperature of the earth depend on ?

A

The amount of radiation it reflects, absorbs and emits

88
Q

What does a absorbed radiation mean ?

A

A rose in temperature

89
Q

What causes sound waves ?

A

Vibrating objects

90
Q

Where does sound travel fastest ?

A

In solids

91
Q

What can’t sound travel in space ?

A

It’s mostly a vacuum

No particles to vibrate with

92
Q

When do u here sound?

A

When your ear drum vibrates

93
Q

How do we hear sound ?

A

Sound waves reach your ear drum and cues it to vibrate

These vibrations are passed on to the ossicles, through the semicircular canals and to the cochlea

The cochlea turns these vibrations into electrical signals

The electrical signals are sent to your brain and allow you to sense the sound

94
Q

What is the range of sound a human ear can hear ?

A

20hz - 20khz

95
Q

What limits the hearing of humans?

A

Size and shape of our ear drum

96
Q

What is an echo?

A

Sound waves reflected by hard flat surfaces

97
Q

What is ultrasound ?

A

Frequencies higher than 20 000Hz

98
Q

What is specular reflection ?

A

Reflection from a smooth surface in a singular direction

99
Q

What is diffuse reflection ?

A

Reflection from a rough surface causes scattering

100
Q

What is the colour of an object determined by?

A

Which wavelengths are most strongly reflected

101
Q

What happens tothe amount of infared radiation as the object gets hotter ?

A

It increases

The hotter the body the more infrared radiation

102
Q

What are the uses of ultras sound ?

A
  • scanning foetuses and other parts of the body
  • detecting flaws in materials
  • underwater exploration
103
Q

How do ultrasounds work

A

Waves enter a material and are partially reflected back when they meet a boundary between two two different media

104
Q

What causes seismic waves ?

A

Earthquakes and explosions

105
Q

What detects seismic waves ?

A

Seismometers

106
Q

What are the two types of seismic waves ?

A

P-waves

S-waves

107
Q

Give the properties of a p-wave ?

A
  • longitudinal
  • travel through solids and liquids
  • faster than s-waves
  • refract as density’s change
  • pass through the earths core
108
Q

Give the properties if s-waves

A
  • transverse
  • can’t travel through liquids or gases
  • slower than p-waves
  • can’t pass through the earths core

physics (4 decks)

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