Waves Flashcards
(63 cards)
What are waves
Means of transferring energy from place to place or information
Transverse waves
Vibrate at right angles to the direction in which the wave or energy is moving e.g light
Longitudinal waves
Vibrations along the direction the wave or energy is moving in
What is amplitude
The heights point on the wave from resting point (height from 0)
What is the wavelength
Distance from crest to crest
What is frequency
The number of waves produces each second measured in Hz
Equation for frequency
Time period ( time in seconds in seconds needed for a source to produce one wave )
What is the wave equation got wave sped
Wave Speed (m/s) = frequency (Hz) x wavelength (metres )
When are waves reflected
When a wave strikes a straight or flat barrier , the angle of incidence (the angle the she struck the barrier) is equal to the angle of reflection
What hapoens if a wave strikes a concave barrier
They are reflected backwards and converge
What happens when a wave strikes a convex barrier
They are reflected backwards and diverge ( spread out )
What happens in refraction e.g. Putting a glass plate in the ripple tank
Depth of water is reduced so when the waves enter this region their wave length becomes shorter but their frequency is unaltered so they are traveling more slowly but when they enter the deeper water again their speed increases . If the boundary between shallow and deep water is at an angle to the direction the waves are moving the waves are refracted and bebd towards normal as they enter the shallow water and are slowed down , then they bend away from the normal as they leave the shallow water and eneter the deeper water
When can refraction happen
If the boundary between shallow and deep water is at an angle to the direction which the waves are moving the direction of the wave changes
What happens in diffraction
If size of gap is about equal to wavelength of waves the waves are diffracted and spread out from Their straight on direction . This is called diffraction e.g sound waves moving through doorways . If gap is larger than wave length waves just continue In same direction , some are diffracted
What properties do the elctromagnetic spectrum have
They all transfer energy
They are all transverse waves
They all travel at the speed of light in a vacuum
They can all be reflected refracted and diffracted
How do the EM waves differ
One end of spectrum - long wave length low frequency
Other end of spectrum - high frequency short wave length
Radio waves
Lowest frequency , longest wavelength , sources of radio transmitters , tv transmitters , detected by radio and tv aerials and used for radio and tv picks up radio waves and converts it into mechanical vibrations in the speaker to create sound waves that can be heard
Microwaves
2nd on spectrum
Oven -electric circuit produces microwave guides to food by rotating reflector which sends microwaves in all direction the microwaves are absorbed by food and become hot
Communications - pass easily through earths atmosphere so they carry signals to orbiting satellites which then pass signals alone, mobile phones use microwaves to carry messages
Hazards - heating body tissue
Higher frequency more damage it caused
Infrared
3rd on spectrum given out by hot objects and is used for thermal imaging cameras and cooking e.g. Could in a toaster tv and remote controls send infra red pulses which the device recognises
This is good because the waves have a low penetrating power so only operate over small distances and are unlikely to interfere with other signals or waves.Hazards are burns
Visible light
4th on spectrum given out by luminous objects , and detected by the eye , photographic film
Is used in seeing optical fibres and photography or reading barcodes
Hazards are light burning holes in your retina and concentrated light rays can damage skin
UV
5th on spectrum emitted by sun and uv lamps and can be detected by skin photographic film and some fluorescent chemicals is used for uv tanning lamps and fluorescent tubes
Hazards - damage to surface cells such as skin cancer , sunburn and blistering , blindness
X-rays
6th on spectrum pass easily through body tissue but can't pass through bones so leave a paler image f bones on an X-ray image as they allow less X-rays through Source - X-ray tube Dectecor - photographic films Hazards can cause cancer Very penetrating
Gamma rays
7th highest frequency shortest wavelength most harmful as very penetrating
Sources - radioactive material
Dectector - Geiger muller tube
Uses - sterilising equipment and food radiotherapy
Hazards - kills cells causes mutation
How are microwaves used to find the position of an aeroplane in the sky
Rotating aerial transmits pulses of microwaves which are reflected off aeroplanes this is then detected by the aerial and the time delay is used to calculate the distance of the aeroplane