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Physics A-level Paper 1 > Waves > Flashcards

Waves Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the amplitude of a wave?

A

the distance from equilibrium to the peak, measured in metres. it is the maximum displacement of the wave.

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2
Q

What is the wavelength?

A

the distance from one point on one wave to an equal point on the next wave, eg. peak to peak distance measured in metres

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3
Q

What is the time period of a wave?

A

the time it takes for 1 wave to go through 1 full oscillation, measured in seconds

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4
Q

What is the frequency of a wave?

A

the number of waves in 1 second measured in Hertz

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5
Q

What is the phase difference?

A

The phase difference of two waves is the horizontal distance a similar part of one wave leads or lags the other wave. Phase difference is measured in fractions of a wavelength, degrees or radians.

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6
Q

What is wave speed?

A

how fast the wave is travelling in meters per second.

c = f x wavelength

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7
Q

Give an example of longitudinal waves.

A

sound

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8
Q

What are the main properties of longitudinal waves?

A

vibrations are parallel to direction of motion

consist of compressions and rarefactions

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9
Q

Give examples of transverse waves.

A

EM waves, waves on a string

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10
Q

What are the main properties of transverse waves?

A

vibrations are perpendicular to the direction of travel
consists of peaks and troughs
sinusoidal waves

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11
Q

What is the speed of an EM wave in a vacuum?

A

3.0x10^8 m/s

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12
Q

What are polarised waves?

A

waves which only vibrate in one direction.

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13
Q

what is polarisation evidence of?

A

transverse waves

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14
Q

What is an application of polarisation?

A

Polaroid material and the alignment of aerials for transmission and reception

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15
Q

What is a stationary wave?

A

a wave which does not transfer energy. it has fixed nodes and points between these which oscillate with maximum amplitude called antinodes

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16
Q

What is a node?

A

a point of no displacement where there is destructive interference and no disturbance

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17
Q

What is an antinode?

A

a point of maximum displacement (amplitude) and there is constructive interference

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18
Q

How do stationary waves form?

A

When two waves with the same frequency travelling in opposite directions meet.
When a wave is completely reflected back on itself

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19
Q

When are waves coherent?

A

when they have the same constant path difference

20
Q

What is Young’s double slit experiment evidence for?

A

Wave particle duality - particles acting as waves

21
Q

What happens during Young’s double slit experiment?

A

monochromatic light source projected at 2 slits. diffraction pattern shows equal constructive interference peaks and destructive interference troughs.

22
Q

What would the interference pattern look like for a single source of white light through a single slit?

A

1 large peak of constructive interference, smaller fringes spread out

23
Q

Define fringe spacing.

A

distance between any two consecutive bright fringes or two consecutive dark fringes is called fringe spacing

24
Q

What safety precautions can be made when working with lasers?

A 
don't look directly at it
don't point it at someone else
wear eye protection where possible
use warning signs that lasers are in use
have the shutoff close to hand at all times
25
Q

Which equation can be used when calculating the angle of diffraction through a diffraction grating?

A

nλ=dsinθ

26
Q

What is an application of diffraction grating?

A

spectrometers

27
Q

What does it mean if two waves are in phase?

A

they are oscillating in time with one another

28
Q

What is path difference?

A

if two light waves leave a source and hit a screen, the difference in how far the waves have travelled is path difference. it is measured in terms of wavelengths

29
Q

What does refractive index show?

A

the higher the refractive index, the slower light can travel through it. the higher the refractive index, the denser the material

30
Q

What is the refractive index of air?

A

1

31
Q

How is refractive index calculated?

A

n = speed of light in vacuum / speed of light in material

32
Q

How does light bend when entering a denser material?

A

towards the normal

33
Q

How does light bend when entering a less dense material

A

away from the normal

34
Q

What is the critical angle?

A

the angle at which light would totally internally reflect.

sinx = n2/n1

35
Q

What is a use of total internal reflection?

A

optical fibres

36
Q

What is the purpose of the cladding on an optical fibre

A

stop the core being scratched

prevent multipath dispersion

37
Q

What are the uses of optical fibres?

A

phone and TV signals

medical endoscopes

38
Q

is the refractive index of cladding greater than that of the core and why?

A

less than because it make it easier for the light to travel through so light would bend away from the normal, making it easier for it to totally internally reflect back into the fibre

39
Q

Define pulse broadening.

A

spreading of the light pulses as they travel down the fiber

40
Q

What is absorption in an optical fibre?

A

absorption occurs in several specific wavelengths called water bands due to the absorption by minute amounts of water vapor in the glass

41
Q

What is scattering in an optical fibre?

A

Scattering is caused by light bouncing off atoms or molecules in the glass

42
Q

What is a progressive wave?

A

a wave which transfers energy from one point to another without moving material

43
Q

What is superposition?

A

the process by which two waves combine into a single waveform when they overlap

44
Q

How many nodes and antinodes are there in the 3rd harmonic of a standing wave?

A

4 nodes, 3 antinodes

45
Q

How is the wavelength of a stationary wave calculated?

A

twice the distance between adjacent nodes

46
Q

Is energy transferred by stationary waves?

A

no

47
Q

Derive Snell’s law

A

sin(x) = opposite / hypotenuse

sin(x) = wavelength / d

dsin(x) = n x wavelength where n is the order

Physics A-level Paper 1 (7 decks)

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