Waves, Light, and Optics Flashcards
What’s a wave?
A rhythmic oscillation that transfers energy from one place to another.
What’sa transverse wave?
When the particles in the wave move perpendicular to the direction of the wave’s motion
What’s a longitudinal wave?
When the paricles move parallel to the direction of the wave’s motion.
What’s the high point in a wave?
A crest.
What’s the low point in a wave?
A trough.
What’s the distance between two troughs or two crests?
A wavelength.
What’s the distance between a crest or trough and the horizontal axis?
The amplitude.
What’s the time necessary for one complete wavelenth to pass a given point?
The Period.
Whatls the number of wavelengths that pass a given point in one second?
The Frequency.
What properties of light change when it goes from one material to another.
Only the wavelength.
How do incident rays that are paralel to the principle axis reflect?
The reflect through the focal point.
How do incident rays that go through the focal point reflet?
They reflect paralel to the principal axis.
How incident rays that go through center of the sphere reflect?
They reflect back through the center of the sphere.
How do incident rays that are paralel to the principle axis refract?
The refract through the far focal point.
How do incident rays that go through the focal point refract?
They refract parallel to the principle axis.
