Physics prelim revision

• What do waves transfer?

  Energy
• How does amplitude relate to wave energy?

  The higher the amplitude, the greater the energy
• What does the symbol 'f' represent in wave physics?

  Number of waves produced per second
• What does 'T' represent in wave physics?

  Time for one wave to pass a point
• How do particles move in transverse waves?

  At right angles to the direction of energy travel
• Give an example of a transverse wave.

  Electromagnetic waves
• How do particles move in longitudinal waves?

  Parallel to the direction of energy travel
• Give an example of a longitudinal wave.

  Sound waves
• What is the formula for wave speed?

  Wave speed = frequency × wavelength
• What does 'v' represent in wave equations?

  Wave speed
• What does 'd' represent in the wave speed formula?

  Distance wave travels
• What does 't' represent in the wave speed formula?

  Time taken
• What is the law of reflection?

  Angle of incidence = angle of reflection
• What happens to wave speed and wavelength during refraction?

  Both reduce, but frequency remains the same
• What is diffraction?

  Bending of waves passing through a gap or around a barrier
• How do long waves diffract compared to short waves?

  Long waves diffract more than short waves
• What happens when waves diffract through a large gap?

  Only the edges of the waves bend
• What are the colors of the visible spectrum?


  Red, orange, green, blue, indigo, violet
• How does red light compare to blue light?

  Red light has long wavelength and low frequency
• What is the application of radio waves?


  Communication under the sea and in space
• What is the application of microwaves?

  Heating food through microwave ovens
• What is the application of infrared waves?

  Remote controls and security lighting
• What is the application of visible light?

  Vision and photography
• What is the application of ultraviolet waves?

  Sterilizing medical instruments
• What is the application of X-rays?

  Checking suitcases at the airport
• What is the application of gamma rays?

  Medical tracers to detect cancer
• What is background radiation?

  Radiation from natural and artificial sources
• What is the average annual effective dose limit for radiation workers?

  20 mSv
• What is ionization?

  Loss or gain of electrons from a stable atom
• What is half-life?

  Time taken for activity to decrease by half
• What is the formula for calculating activity?

  A = N / t
• What is the composition of alpha radiation?

  2 protons and 2 neutrons
• What is the speed of gamma radiation?

  Fastest among all types of radiation
• What is the effect of ionizing radiation on living cells?

  Kills or changes the nature of living cells
• What is a chain reaction in nuclear fission?

  Neutrons from fission split other nuclei
• What are the advantages of fission?

  Produces lots of energy, no greenhouse gases
• What are the advantages of fusion?

  Lots of cheap energy, no harmful waste
• What is a scalar quantity?

  A quantity with magnitude only
• What is a vector quantity?

  A quantity with magnitude and direction
• What is instantaneous velocity?

  Velocity at a specific moment