waves

    Cards (55)

    • Wave
      A transfer of energy without the transfer of matter
    • Wave motion
      • Vibrations in ropes and springs
      • Experiments using water waves
    • Wave
      • Wavefront
      • Wavelength
      • Frequency
      • Crest (peak)
      • Trough
      • Amplitude
      • Wave speed
    • Wave speed

      v = f λ
    • Transverse wave
      Direction of vibration is at right angles to the direction of propagation
    • Longitudinal wave

      Direction of vibration is parallel to the direction of propagation
    • Wave behaviours
      1. Reflection at a plane surface
      2. Refraction due to a change of speed
      3. Diffraction through a narrow gap
    • Ripple tank demonstrations
      1. Reflection at a plane surface
      2. Refraction due to a change in speed caused by a change in depth
      3. Diffraction due to a gap
      4. Diffraction due to an edge
    • Diffraction
      • Wavelength and gap size affects diffraction through a gap
      • Wavelength affects diffraction at an edge
    • Normal
      A line perpendicular to a surface
    • Angle of incidence
      The angle between the incident ray and the normal
    • Angle of reflection
      The angle between the reflected ray and the normal
    • Reflection by a plane mirror
      1. Formation of an optical image
      2. Characteristics: same size, same distance from mirror, virtual
    • For reflection, the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection
    • Refraction
      The bending of a wave when it passes from one medium to another
    • Refraction experiment
      Refraction of light by transparent blocks of different shapes
    • Light passing through a transparent material

      Limited to the boundaries between two media only
    • Critical angle
      The angle of incidence for which the angle of refraction is 90°
    • Refractive index, n
      The ratio of the speeds of a wave in two different regions
    • Refractive index equations

      1. n = sini/sinr
      2. n = 1/sinc
    • Optical fibres
      Use in telecommunications
    • Thin converging and diverging lenses
      Action on a parallel beam of light
    • Focal length
      The distance from the lens to the principal focus
    • Principal axis
      The straight line passing through the optical centre of the lens
    • Principal focus (focal point)

      The point where parallel rays converge after passing through a converging lens
    • Image characteristics
      Enlarged/same size/diminished, upright/inverted, real/virtual
    • Magnifying glass

      A single converging lens used to form a virtual, enlarged image
    • Corrective lenses

      Converging lenses for long-sightedness, diverging lenses for short-sightedness
    • Dispersion of light by a glass prism
      Refraction of white light
    • Visible spectrum colours

      • In order of frequency and wavelength
    • Monochromatic light

      Light of a single frequency
    • Regions of the electromagnetic spectrum
      • In order of frequency and wavelength
    • All electromagnetic waves travel at the same high speed in a vacuum
    • Uses of electromagnetic spectrum regions
      • Radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays
    • Excessive exposure to electromagnetic radiation can have harmful effects on people
    • Microwaves
      Internal heating of body cells
    • Infrared
      Skin burns
    • Ultraviolet
      Damage to surface cells and eyes, leading to skin cancer and eye conditions
      1. rays and gamma rays
      Mutation or damage to cells in the body
    • Communication with artificial satellites
      1. Mainly by microwaves
      2. Some satellite phones use low orbit artificial satellites
      3. Some satellite phones and direct broadcast satellite television use geostationary satellites
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