Topic 1,2 & 3-Light & Optics

Question 1

What are the four properties of light?

Answer 1

Light travels in straight lines
Light can be reflected
Light can bend
Light is a form of energy

Question 2

What is an optical device?

Answer 2

Any technology that uses light

Question 3

What are translucent materials?

Answer 3

Allows some light to pass through but not all

Question 4

What are transparent materials?

Answer 4

Light travels straight through the material

Question 5

What are opaque materials?

Answer 5

Do not allow any light to pass through them

Question 6

What is regular reflection?

Answer 6

Occurs when light rays hit a smooth surface. The incoming rays travel parallel to each other. When these rays strike a smooth surface they all bounce off in the same direction and the rays are reflected at the same angle

Question 7

What is diffuse reflection?

Answer 7

Occurs when light rays hit a rough or uneven surface. When the light rays hit the surface they reflect but due to the rough surface each of the rays is reflected at a different angle. The rays to not remain parallel

Question 8

What are incident rays?

Answer 8

The incoming rays

Question 9

What are plane mirrors?

Answer 9

Flat mirrors that provide the clearest reflections

Question 10

What is the law of reflection?

Answer 10

When a ray of light hits a plane mirror at an angle, it bounces off the mirror surface at exactly the same angle

Question 11

What is a normal in the law of reflection?

Answer 11

A line perpendicular to the mirror at the point of reflection

Question 12

What is the angle of incidence in the law of reflection?

Answer 12

The angle between the incident ray and the normal

Question 13

What is the angle of reflection in the law of reflection?

Answer 13

The angle between the reflected ray and the normal

Question 14

What is a concave mirror?

Answer 14

Reflecting surface that is curved inward

Question 15

What is a focal point?

Answer 15

Concave mirrors reflect parallel ray of light back through the focal point

Question 16

What happens to an image in a concave mirror if the object is farther away from the focal point?

Answer 16

The image is upside down and small

Question 17

What happens to an image in a concave mirror if the object is in between the focal point and the mirror?

Answer 17

The image appears upright and enlarged

Question 18

What is a convex mirror?

Answer 18

Reflecting surface that curves outward

Question 19

What happens to the parallel rays of light that reflect off a concave mirror?

Answer 19

They gather inwards toward the focal point

Question 20

What happens to the parallel rays of light that reflect off a convex mirror?

Answer 20

They reflect outwards away from the focal point

Question 21

What is refraction?

Answer 21

When light travels from one substance to another it bends or refracts

Question 22

What is a concave lens?

Answer 22

Piece of transparent material that is thinner in the middle than at the edges

Question 23

What happens to parallel rays of light that pass through a concave lens?

Answer 23

The rays of light diverge and spread out

Question 24

What is a convex lens?

Answer 24

A piece of transparent material that is thicker in the middle than the edges

Question 25

What happens to parallel rays of light when they pass through a convex lens?

Answer 25

It brings the light rays together much like a concave mirror

Question 26

What is the wave model of light?

Answer 26

Models used to explain the characteristics and behaviour of light energy. It describes light as energy in the form of waves. The different colours of light have different wavelengths

Question 27

What is amplitude?

Answer 27

Height of the wave from its middle test position to its highest point

Question 28

What is the crest?

Answer 28

Highest point of a wave

Question 29

What is the wavelength?

Answer 29

The distance from the crest of one wave to the next

Question 30

What is the frequency?

Answer 30

The number of times the medium vibrates in a given amount of time

Question 31

What colour has the highest wavelength but the lowest frequency?

Answer 31

Red

Question 32

What colour has the lowest wavelength but the highest frequency?

Answer 32

Violet

Question 33

What is electromagnetic radiation?

Answer 33

All forms of radiant energy (visible light, infrared ration, ultraviolet radiation, radio waves, X rays, etc.)

Question 34

What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

Answer 34

Refers to the whole range of wavelengths of visible and invisible electromagnetic radiation