physics Flashcards
what is the angle of incidence?
the angle between the incident ray and the normal
what is the angle of reflection/refraction?
the angle between the refracted/reflected ray and the normal
what is a concave mirror?
reflecting surface can be viewed as the inside polished surface of a hollow sphere *converging mirror
what is a convex mirror?
reflecting surface can be viewed as the outside polished surface of a hollow sphere *diverging mirror
what is luminescence?
production of light without heating
what is incandescence?
the production of light as a result of high temperature
what is a virtual image?
an upright image that makes it look like the light rays intersect, but they never cross paths
what is a real image?
where the light rays intersect, and where an image is past the focal point
what is bioluminescence?
the production of lights in living organisms
what is triboluminescence?
the production of lights by a scratching or crushing certain minerals
what is the critical angle?
the angle of incidence that produces a refracted angle of 90 degrees
name 7 types of electromagnetic waves and give examples.
radio waves (AM/FM radio), infrared light (keeps food warm), microwaves (microwave ovens), visible light (rainbows), ultraviolet (causes skin to burn/tan), x-rays (medical imaging), gamma ray (product of nuclear decay)
what is transparent?
a material that lets light pass through it (ex. glass)
what is translucent?
a material that allows some light pass through it (ex. frosted glass)
what is opaque?
a material that does not allow any light to pass through it (ex. wood)
how does light travel?
light travels as a wave in a straight line
what is refraction?
the bending or change in a direction of light when it travels from one medium into another
what are the properties of light? (4)
-light travels in straight lines
-light travels as a wave
-light travels at a very high speed
-doesn’t require a medium to travel
what is wavelength?
the horizontal distance between two consecutive troughs or crests
what is the law of reflection? (2)
-the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection
-the incident ray, the reflected ray, and the normal all line in the same plane
what does SALT stand for?
s: size of image compared to the object
a: attitude (upright or inverted)
l: location (appear behind or in front of mirror)
t: type (real or virtual)
what is the center of curvature?
the center of a curved reflecting surface
what is an image?
a reproduction of an original object that is produced through the use of light
what is phosphorescence?
production of light by absorbing UV light, which emits visible light over time
