Waves and Light

Question 1

Describe how the vibrations of longitudinal waves and transverse waves differ.

Answer 1

Displacement of particles.
In a longitudinal wave, the displacement of the particles happens parallel to the direction the wave travels.
The displacement of particles in the transverse wave is perpendicular to the direction the wave is traveling.

Question 2

Give an example of a longitudal and tranverse wave!

Answer 2

Longitudinal:
sound waves.
ultrasound waves.
seismic P-waves.
Transverse:
The ripples on the surface of the water.
Electromagnetic waves.
Ultraviolet Waves

Question 3

What is the unit for wavelength?

Answer 3

Meters

Question 4

Why is it easier for an aeroplane to make a louder sonic boom the higher it goes.

Answer 4

In general, the greater an aircraft’s altitude, the lower the overpressure on the ground. Greater altitude also increases the boom’s lateral spread, exposing a wider area to the boom. Overpressures in the sonic boom impact area

Question 5

State all types of waves!

Answer 5

These 7 types of waves are as follows: Radio Waves, Microwaves, Infrared, Visible, Ultraviolet, X-Ray, Gamma Rays. Radio waves have the longest wavelength and small frequency while the gamma rays have shortest wavelength and high frequency.

Question 5

What does reflection depend on?

Answer 5

Wavelength, properties of 2 materials

Question 6

What is snells law?

Answer 6

Snell’s law is a formula used to describe the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction

Question 7

What is a rule of ray diagrams

Answer 7

Angle of incidence = Angle of reflection

Question 8

What is specular reflection

Answer 8

All normals are in the same direction
Clear image
Flat borders

Question 9

What has scattered reflection?

Answer 9

Bumpy Boundry
Normals will all be different
No Image
Light randomly reflected

Question 10

What is the refraction of light waves?

Answer 10

When waves change direction as they pass from one material to another.

Question 11

What is reflection?

Answer 11

Reflection is when light bounces off an object. If the surface is smooth and shiny, like glass, water or polished metal, the light will reflect at the same angle as it hit the surface.

Question 12

What happens if the waves hits the material straight on?

Answer 12

The wave will continue to go straight

Question 13

What happens if a wave gets refracted at an angle.

Answer 13

The angle will change.
if the material is dense, the angle will bend toward the normal, and it will be the angle of refraction.
If the material is less dense
If will bend away from the normal and become an emergent ray.

Question 14

What remains constant when the speed of a wave changes?

Answer 14

Frequency
However, the wavelength will increase.

Question 15

What happens if white light was put in a triangular prism?

Answer 15

Different colors will bend to different degrees.

Question 16

What is total internal reflection?

Answer 16

total internal reflection, in physics, complete reflection of a ray of light within a medium such as water or glass from the surrounding surfaces back into the medium. The phenomenon occurs if the angle of incidence is greater than a certain limiting angle, called the critical angle

Question 17

What effects the refractive index?

Answer 17

Finally, refractive indices are influenced by the polarizability of a medium. The more polarizable the material, the higher the refractive index is for the substance.