week 2 Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is a Transverse Wave?
A wave in which particles move perpendicular to the direction of the wave (e.g., water, light).
What is a Longitudinal Wave?
A wave in which particles move parallel to the wave’s direction (e.g., sound).
What is a Medium?
The substance through which mechanical waves travel (e.g., air, water).
What is a Vacuum?
Space with no matter; electromagnetic waves can travel through it.
What is an Electromagnetic Wave?
A wave that does not require a medium to travel (e.g., light, X-rays).
How do Transverse and Longitudinal waves differ?
In how particles move relative to the wave’s direction.
Do mechanical waves need a medium to transfer energy?
Yes, while electromagnetic waves do not.
Give examples of mechanical waves.
- Sound
- Seismic waves
Give examples of electromagnetic waves.
- Light
- Radio
- Microwaves
What is Oscillation?
A repeated movement or vibration back and forth.
What is Radiation?
The transfer of energy via electromagnetic waves.
What are the ways waves interact with materials?
- Reflection
- Refraction
- Diffraction
- Absorption
What is an Absorber?
The object or material that takes in energy from the wave.
What are electromagnetic waves composed of?
Oscillating electric and magnetic fields.
What is the speed of light waves in a vacuum?
300,000,000 m/s.
What does the wave speed formula calculate?
How fast a wave travels when we know its frequency and wavelength.
What is the Electromagnetic Spectrum?
The full range of all types of electromagnetic radiation, from radio waves to gamma rays.
What is Ionising Radiation?
High-energy waves (like X-rays and gamma rays) that can remove electrons and cause cell damage.
What is the Visible Spectrum?
The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that human eyes can detect (seen as colours of the rainbow).
What mnemonic can help remember the types of electromagnetic waves?
“Red Monkeys In Vans Use X-Ray Glasses”
How is the electromagnetic spectrum arranged?
By frequency, wavelength, and energy.
What happens to wavelength and energy as frequency increases?
Wavelength shortens, and energy increases.
Which type of waves are high-frequency and high-energy?
Gamma rays.
Which type of waves are low-frequency and low-energy?
Radio waves.
