Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

GCSE Physics > Waves > Flashcards

Waves Flashcards

(74 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What do waves transfer?

A

energy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How do waves travel from one place to another?

A

they oscillate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the max height of the wave called?

A

amplitude

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the wavelength?

A

one entire oscillation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what greek letter represents wavelength?

A

Lamda (λ)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What direction are oscillations in transverse and longitudinal?

A

perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer (T)
parallel to the direction of energy transfer (L)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Example of transverse waves?

A

EM waves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Examples of longitudinal waves?

A

sound, seismic waves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What 3 things can happen when a wave hits a surface?

A

absorption, transmission, reflection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

In reflection, which 2 angles are always equal?

A

angle of incidence = angle of reflection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the normal?

A

a dashed line that is perpendicular to the surface

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the point of incidence?

A

the point where the incident ray touches the surface

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is specular reflection?

A

when the boundary is flat, so the waves reflects in the same direction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is diffuse reflection?

A

The boundary is bumpy, so the waves reflect in all different direction (because the normal is at different angles)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What type of image will specular reflection produce?

A

a clear image

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

why do waves travel at different speeds through different mediums?

A

different mediums have different density

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is refraction?

A

a wave changing direction when passing from one medium into another

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Which way will the wave bend when it enter a denser medium?

A

towards the normal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Which way will the wave bend when it enter a less dense medium?

A

away from the normal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is the difference between the frequency and wavelength of a wave when it enters another medium?

A

Wavelength changes but frequency stays the same

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is the order of the EM spectrum from most ionising to least?

A

gamma rays, x-rays, uv rays, visible light, infrared, microwaves, radio waves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What 3 things are the same about all EM waves?

A

they are all transverse
they all travel at 3x10^8 m/s in a vacuum
they all can travel through a vacuum

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

what is the range of wavelengths for EM waves?

A

10^4m to 10^-15m

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What are the 2 types of lenses?

A

convex (convergent) and concave (divergent)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What does a convex lens look like and what does it do to light rays?
it has a bulge in the middle and curves to meet at corners at the top and bottom. It causes light rays to refract inwards and converge on a point.
26
What does a concave lens look like and what does it do to light rays?
it is wider on the top and bottom and thin in the middle. It causes light rays to refract outwards so they spread out (diverge).
27
how many principle focuses do lenses have?
2, 1 on each side
28
What is the principle axis?
the line running through the centre of the lens where no refraction occurs.
29
What is the focal length?
the distance between the centre of the lens and the principle focus
30
How does focal length relate to the power of the lens?
the shorter the focal length, the more powerful the lens
31
What does a more powerful lens mean?
it refracts light more strongly
32
How do you make a lens more powerful?
make the lens more curved or make it out of a material that naturally refracts light more strongly
33
Where are images formed?
where all the light rays from a particular point on an object, appear to come together
34
What is the difference between a real and virtual image?
Real: light rays actually come together to form image. image can be captured on the screen Virtual: Light rays dont actually come together where the image appears to be. Cannot be projected on to a screen.
35
What is an example of a virtual image?
reflection in a mirror
36
Give 3 examples of uses of ultrasound.
industrial imaging pre natal scanning sonar
37
What is ultrasound?
sound that vibrates at frequencies over 20,000Hz
38
What is the range of human hearing?
20-20,000Hz
39
What happens when ultrasound hits the boundary between mediums?
some of it is reflected and some is refracted.
40
How does ultrasound work?
when the ultrasound waves are fired at an object, some pass through and some are reflected. The same happens every time the waves hit a boundary within the object. If we know the speed of the wave and the time it takes to be reflected, we are able to understand the different layers and boundaries within the object.
41
Is ultrasound harmful?
no.
42
What are the 3 types of seismic waves?
P, S and L
43
What are 3 differences between p and s waves?
p waves are longitudinal and faster and can travel through solids and liquids, s waves are transvers and slower and can travel through only solids
44
What device is used to detect seismic waves?
seismometers
45
Why do the waves curve whilst travelling through the mantle and outer core?
the mantle and outer core have varying densities, causing the waves to refract slightly all the time, making them curve
46
Can s waves travel through the outer core?
no.
47
What is the shadow zone?
the area of the earth where no waves reach
48
What causes the shadow zone?
the refraction of the waves
49
What 3 things helped prove the existence of a liquid outer core?
no s waves were detected opposite the epicentre p waves were refracted shadow zone
50
Which of types of electromagnetic waves can be used in communication?
Microwaves Radio waves
51
How can radio waves be created?
using an alternating current
52
What 2 things are microwaves used for?
satellite communication and microwave ovens
53
Why are radio waves not used for satellite communication?
they are reflected by the atmosphere
54
What are optical fibres used for?
used to transmit data really quickly over very large distances (halfway around the earth)
55
What can UV rays be used for?
Check for 'invisible markings' on passports Give sun tans Destroy microorganisms in water sterilisation
56
What can infrared radiation be used for?
cooking and night vision
57
What can visible light be used for?
optical fibres, seeing
58
What is fluorescence?
Ultraviolet light energy being absorbed and re-emitted as visible light
59
What are X-rays used for?
to view the internal structure of objects, e.g. medical imaging
60
How do we use X-rays to find broken bones?
X-rays are fired at the patient X-rays are absorbed by materials which are very dense, like bones. X-rays are transmitted through materials which are not very dense, like lungs and intestines. The X-rays that pass through are detected by a detector plate to form an X-ray image
61
Are X-rays absorbed or reflected by bones?
absorbed
62
In hospitals what are gamma rays used for?
Perform medical imaging sterilising medical equipment and food Treat cancer
63
A green glass bottle appears green because:
The bottle reflects and/or transmits green light and absorbs other colours of light.
64
What colours does a blue filter transmit?
blue
65
What colours does a yellow filter transmit?
red, green and yellow
66
What colours does a magenta filter transmit?
red, blue, magenta
67
What happens to the wavelength of radiation emitted by an object if its temperature increases?
decreases
68
What happens when sound waves travel from a less dense medium, to a more dense medium?
speed increases
69
As temperature increases, what happens to the waves emitted?
intensity of every emitted wavelength increases intensity of shorter wavelengths increases more
70
What is a black body?
absorbs all incident radiation and emits maximum amount of radiation
71
What is total internal reflection?
when light meets the boundary of 2 transparent mediums, it reflects instead of refracting
72
Why does total internal reflection happen?
the angle of refraction is bigger than the angle of incidence when light goes to a less dense medium when the angle of refraction is greater than 90 degrees, total internal reflection happens
73
What is the critical angle?
the angle of incidence in which the angle of refraction is 90 degrees so the light travels along the boundary
74
What are the uses of total internal reflection?
in optical fibres in an endoscope so the doctor can look within a body

GCSE Physics (9 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions