Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Physics A-level > waves > Flashcards

waves Flashcards

(73 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

waves

A

phenomena which transfer energy without transferring any material

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

cycle

A

one complete vibration

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

displacement

A

how far a point on the wave has moved from its undisturbed position (equilibrium)

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

amplitude

A

maximum displacement

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

wavelength

A

the length of one whole wave cycle

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

period

A

time taken for a whole cycle 1/f

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

frequency

A

oscillations/cycles per second

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

phase

A

measure of how far through a cycle a wave is

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

phase difference

A

the amount one wave lags behind another

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

diffraction

A

light spreads out as it passes around an object or through a narrow gap

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

refraction

A

bending of light as it enters a new medium with a different optical density
light changing speed

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

c

A

speed of light in a vacuum
3.0 E8 ms-1

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

transverse waves

A

oscillation perpendicular to direction of energy propagation
EM, water, string, Seismic-S
can be polarised

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

longitudinal waves

A

oscillations parallel to direction of propagation
compression (increased pressure) and rarefraction
cannot be polarised
sound, slinky, Seismic-P

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

polarisation

A

restriction of oscillations of waves to one plane only
process of filtering transverse waves

polarised waves oscillate in one direction

evidence EM waves are transverse

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

mechanical waves

A

oscillations vibrate around fixed point

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

two polarising filters at right angles

A

no light gets through

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

partial polarisation of light

A

when reflected off certain surfaces

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

uses of polarisation polaroid cameras

A

photos of objects underwater
intensified colour, reduced glare
light from underwater refracted, object more intense

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

uses of polarisation: sun glasses

A

block partially polarised light
horizontal blocked, vertical passes through

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

uses of polarisation other

A

stress analysis
transmitters
microwave ovens

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

radiowaves

A

10^3 m
10^4 Hz

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

microwaves

A

10^-2 m
10^8 Hz

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

infrared

A

10^-5 m
10^12 Hz

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
visible light
10^-6 m red longest wavelength
26
uv
10^-8 m 10^15 Hz
27
x-ray
10^-10 m 10^16 Hz
28
gamma
10^-12 m 10^20 Hz
29
superposition
2 waves occupying the same physical space
30
resultant wave
total of a wave= sum of displacement of other waves
31
constructive interference
phase difference 0,360 n wavelengths
32
destructive interference
180 n+1/2 wavelengths
33
coherence
fixed/constant phase relation same of frequency and wave length
34
effect of increasing wavelength diffraction gratings
width of central maxima increases diffraction effects increase intensity decreases
35
1000 slits per m
s = 1/1000
36
diffraction gratings sinθ must be
less than 1
37
increasing wavelength effect on sinθ
increases
38
increasing distance effect on sinθ
decreases
39
laser safety
body's natural aversion reflex too slow to prevent damage to retina
40
demonstrating stationary waves
powder in tube of air microwaves
41
stationary wave
superposition between two progressive waves travelling in opposite directions in the same space
42
progressive waves vs stationary waves
progressive: all same amplitude, in phase, energy transferred along wave, no nodes or antinodes, speed=speed which wave moves through medium standing: different amplitude depending on superposition, points between nodes in phase, energy stored, each point on waves oscillates at different speed, doesn't move
43
nodes
zero displacement, fixed minimum energy
44
antinodes
maximum displacement maximum energy move in vertical direction
45
harmonics in closed tube
starts at 1/4λ every 1/2
46
harmonics in open tube
starts at 1/2 λ every 1/2
47
harmonics in tubes
node formed at closed end
48
Young's double slit experiment
coherent sources monochromatic light waves diffract, superpose constructive interference bright fringes destructive interference dark fringes central maxima greatest intensity
49
W= λD/s
W= fringe spacing s= slit spacing D= distance from slit to screen
50
white light double slit
central fringe= bright white light all fringes more spread out side fringes have spectrum of visible colours blue diffracts less, closer to centre
51
increasing slit width
decreases the width of central maxima as diffraction increases intensity of central maxima increases
52
more slits
sharper pattern
53
use of diffraction gratings examples
proves light is a wave exocrystallography -> atom spacing via diffraction (X-rays) finding unknowns separate wavelengths from different substances used in white fibre optics to separate signals astronomy measuring light from celestial bodies to identify chemical make up
54
high pitch
high frequency
55
high volume (loud)
high amplitude
56
diffraction derivation
1st order maxima happens when path difference = 1λ similar triangles distance= d
57
order of central maxima
zero
58
2nd harmonic
1st overtone
59
nair
1
60
nwater
1.3
61
nglass
1.5
62
resonance
system made to oscillate at its natural frequency
63
stationary waves practical
measure mass (per unit length), length, tension T=mg you can calculate any of these 3 mass -> change material length-> move oscillator tension -> change hanging masses
64
longer string
lower resonant frequency
65
larger mass per unit length
lower resonant frequency
66
higher tension
higher resonant frequency
67
first harmonic
fundamental 1/2λ
68
critical angle
n1 > n2 sin90 = 1 n2/n1 θ1 > θ2 total internal reflection
69
fibre optics
step index core surrounded by cladding with lower refractive index (+small critical angle) narrow light always hits barrier at angle greater than critical angle increasing bandwidth of available light
70
pulse absorption
energy absorbed by medium loss in amplitude counteract by signal boosting
71
pulse broadening
modal -> different wave lengths reach the end at different points material -> different paths through material resulting in degraded signal
72
modal dispersion prevention
use monochromatic light
73
material dispersion prevention
monomodefibre as narrow as possible

Physics A-level (6 decks)

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