P6 - Waves and Optics

Question 1

What is a wave?

Answer 1

A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another without transferring matter.

Question 2

What are the two types of waves?

Answer 2

Transverse waves and longitudinal waves.

Question 3

What are transverse waves?

Answer 3

Waves where the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of wave travel. Example: Light waves.

Question 4

What are longitudinal waves?

Answer 4

Waves where the oscillations are parallel to the direction of wave travel. Example: Sound waves.

Question 5

What is amplitude?

Answer 5

The maximum displacement of a point on the wave from its rest position.

Question 6

What is wavelength?

Answer 6

The distance between two consecutive crests or troughs in a wave.

Question 7

What is frequency?

Answer 7

The number of complete waves passing a point per second. Measured in Hertz (Hz).

Question 8

What is the formula for wave speed?

Answer 8

Wave speed (v) = Frequency (f) × Wavelength (λ)

Question 9

How do you calculate frequency from wave speed and wavelength?

Answer 9

Frequency (f) = Wave speed (v) / Wavelength (λ)

Question 10

How do you calculate wavelength from wave speed and frequency?

Answer 10

Wavelength (λ) = Wave speed (v) / Frequency (f)

Question 11

What happens when waves are reflected?

Answer 11

When waves bounce off a surface, the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.

Question 12

What happens when waves are refracted?

Answer 12

Waves change speed and direction as they pass from one medium to another.

Question 13

What is diffraction?

Answer 13

The bending of waves around obstacles or through openings.

Question 14

How do sound waves travel?

Answer 14

Sound waves are longitudinal waves that need a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to travel through.

Question 15

What is the speed of light?

Answer 15

The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 3 × 10^8 m/s.

Question 16

What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

Answer 16

A range of all the different frequencies of electromagnetic radiation, from radio waves to gamma rays.

Question 17

How does the speed of a wave change in different media?

Answer 17

Waves travel faster in denser media like water, and slower in less dense media like air.

Question 18

What are some uses of infrared radiation?

Answer 18

Used in remote controls, night-vision cameras, and thermal imaging.

Question 19

What are some uses of microwaves?

Answer 19

Used in cooking, satellite communications, and radar.

Question 20

What are some uses of ultraviolet radiation?

Answer 20

Used in sterilization, black lights, and tanning beds.

Question 21

What are some uses of X-rays?

Answer 21

Used in medical imaging to view bones and internal structures.

Question 22

What are some uses of gamma rays?

Answer 22

Used in cancer treatment, sterilizing medical equipment.

Question 23

What are the dangers of ultraviolet radiation?

Answer 23

Can cause skin damage, eye damage, and increase the risk of cancer.

Question 24

What are the dangers of X-rays and gamma rays?

Answer 24

Both can cause cell damage, increase cancer risk, and damage tissues.

Question 25

What is constructive interference?

Answer 25

When two waves meet in phase, their amplitudes add together to make a larger wave.

Question 26

What is destructive interference?

Answer 26

When two waves meet out of phase, their amplitudes cancel out to form a smaller wave.

Question 27

What is the Doppler effect?

Answer 27

The change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer who is moving relative to the wave source.

Question 28

What is an echo?

Answer 28

A reflection of sound that can be heard after a delay.

Question 29

How does the speed of sound change in different mediums?

Answer 29

Sound travels fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases.

Question 30

What is total internal reflection?

Answer 30

The complete reflection of light inside a medium when the angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle.

Question 31

What is the critical angle?

Answer 31

The angle of incidence above which total internal reflection occurs.

Question 32

What part of the electromagnetic spectrum is visible to humans?

Answer 32

The visible light spectrum, which ranges from about 400 nm to 700 nm.

Question 33

What are seismic waves?

Answer 33

Waves of energy that travel through the Earth, used to study earthquakes.

Question 34

What are P-waves?

Answer 34

Primary waves, which are longitudinal and the fastest seismic waves. They can travel through solids, liquids, and gases.

Question 35

What are S-waves?

Answer 35

Secondary waves, which are transverse and slower than P-waves. They can only travel through solids.

Question 36

How do waves transfer energy?

Answer 36

Waves transfer energy through the oscillations of particles in a medium, without transferring matter.

Question 37

How does light refract in water?

Answer 37

Light slows down and bends towards the normal when entering a denser medium like water.

Question 38

What are wavefronts?

Answer 38

Imaginary lines or surfaces representing points of equal phase in a wave.

Question 39

What is wave interference?

Answer 39

The interaction of two or more waves that results in either constructive or destructive interference.

Question 40

What happens when light is reflected?

Answer 40

Light bounces off a surface, with the angle of incidence equal to the angle of reflection.

Question 41

Can you give an example of diffraction?

Answer 41

Diffraction occurs when light passes through a narrow gap and spreads out, creating a pattern.

Question 42

What are the main properties of waves?

Answer 42

Amplitude, frequency, wavelength, and speed.

Question 43

What type of waves are electromagnetic waves?

Answer 43

Transverse waves.

Question 44

What is the speed of sound in air?

Answer 44

Approximately 343 m/s at room temperature (20°C).

Question 45

How does amplitude affect the loudness of sound?

Answer 45

Higher amplitude results in louder sound, while lower amplitude results in quieter sound.