Physics Chapter 16 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

Which of the following colors has the lowest frequency? (Select all that apply)

Green

Orange

Yellow

Red (correct)

Which of the following is not an electromagnetic wave?

Sound (correct)

Light

Microwaves

X-ray

Infrared

Which statement is true?

Radio waves in the AM band are not electromagnetic waves.

In air light travels much faster than radiation from microwave oven.

Speed of light in air is lower than in glass.

Electromagnetic waves can't travel in perfect vacuum.

Some electromagnetic waves will pass through walls that light cannot penetrate. (correct)

The primary difference between x-rays and visible light is that

They have different wavelengths. Signup and view all the answers

In Young's double-slit experiment, light was first passed through a narrow single slit. The reason for the first slit was

To ensure a constant phase relationship between the interfering light waves. Signup and view all the answers

For visible light, which property of visible electromagnetic waves changes with color?

Frequency and wavelength Signup and view all the answers

The light from an incandescent bulb is composed of

All wavelengths in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Signup and view all the answers

When ultraviolet light reflects from a violet surface, we see

Black Signup and view all the answers

The wavelength of red light is ______ that of green light.

greater than Signup and view all the answers

The frequency of blue light is ______ that of green light.

greater than Signup and view all the answers

Which two primary colors can be added to produce yellow?

Red and green Signup and view all the answers

If a surface is illuminated by magenta light and the red is absorbed, then the color of the surface will appear as ______.

blue Signup and view all the answers

What primary color must be added to magenta light to produce white light? ______.

Green Signup and view all the answers

The normal human eye can detect colors whose wavelengths range from 400 nm to ______.

700 nm Signup and view all the answers

The daytime sky is blue, on sunny days, because the atmosphere

Is more efficient at scattering blue light. Signup and view all the answers

Electromagnetic waves that travel through the air are

Transverse waves. Signup and view all the answers

If the only light present is yellow, what color will a blue sweater appear to be?

Black Signup and view all the answers

The evening sunsets are reddish orange because the atmosphere

Is more efficient at scattering blue light. Signup and view all the answers

EM waves tend to be scattered the most by an object that is

About the same size as the wave. Signup and view all the answers

When you look at white light through a blue piece of glass, you observe blue light. This means that the blue glass

Transmits only the blue light. Signup and view all the answers

A property of electromagnetic waves that makes them different from other kinds of waves such as sound or water waves is that

They do not require a medium. Signup and view all the answers

A common property of all waves is the relationship between the speed (v), the wavelength (λ), and the frequency of the wave (f). The correct equation for this relationship is ______.

v = fλ Signup and view all the answers

The correct value for the speed of light in air is

3 x 10^8 m/s. Signup and view all the answers

Under the correct conditions, two light waves can produce regions of reinforcement and regions of cancellation. This phenomenon is known as

Interference. Signup and view all the answers

Two light waves combine and produce a region of darkness. Which of the following must be true?

The waves were a half-wavelength out of phase. Signup and view all the answers

A beam of orange light illuminates two slits that are closely spaced. The resulting intensity pattern is a series of bright and dark fringes. What happens to the intensity pattern if we now change to blue light?

The series of bright and dark fringes gets closer together. Signup and view all the answers

A thin layer of oil floats on a water puddle. An observer sees a colored pattern due to interference of light reflected from

The oil/air interface AND the oil/water interface. Signup and view all the answers

A piece of ordinary glass transmits about 92% of the visible light incident on the glass. The transmittance of the glass can be increased by

Applying an anti-reflective coating to both sides of the glass. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following waves exhibit interference?

Sound, water and light. Signup and view all the answers

When a beam of light passes through a narrow slit we can observe some light in the "geometrical" shadow of the slit. This light arrived by the process of

Diffraction. Signup and view all the answers

The diffraction of light by the iris of the eye limits

The ability of our eyes to resolve very fine details. Signup and view all the answers

A common use of a diffraction grating is to

Separate light into its separate wavelengths. Signup and view all the answers

The polarization of a light wave is determined by the direction

Of the oscillating electric field. Signup and view all the answers

One common way to polarize a beam of light is to

Use a sheet of Polaroid material. Signup and view all the answers

A beam of "unpolarized" light

Can be polarized by reflecting it from a flat surface. Signup and view all the answers

Polaroid sunglasses are designed to transmit primarily

Vertically polarized light. Signup and view all the answers

The leaves of an oak tree are green and those leaves use light to help the tree grow. If the tree was exposed only to green light

It would not grow well because the tree does not use much green light compared to other wavelengths. Signup and view all the answers

If a person has a shiny nose, applying powder will remove the shine without reducing the amount of light reflecting from the nose. This is an example of

Diffuse reflection. Signup and view all the answers

When diffraction of light occurs with a single slit,

A number of interference fringes are produced around the central bright spot. Signup and view all the answers

When unpolarized light passes through a polarizing filter,

About half the light passes through and is now polarized. Signup and view all the answers

Magenta, yellow, and cyan are the colors used in ____________ color mixing.

subtractive Signup and view all the answers

The light-sensitive cells in our eyes that allow us to see color are called ___________.

Cones Signup and view all the answers

Infrared waves have a ___________ wavelength than microwaves.

shorter Signup and view all the answers

When green light shines on a cyan shirt, the color ___________ is seen.

green Signup and view all the answers

When white light shines through a diffraction grating, the blue fringes are __________ than the red fringes.

closer to Signup and view all the answers

When light reflects from mirrors we see a ____________ reflection.

specular Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Electromagnetic Waves and Properties

Red light has the lowest frequency among the visible spectrum.
Sound is not an electromagnetic wave; it is a mechanical wave.
Some electromagnetic waves can pass through walls that light cannot penetrate.
X-rays differ from visible light primarily by wavelength.

Young's Double-Slit Experiment

A single slit ensures a constant phase relationship for light waves to form an interference pattern.
For visible light, frequency and wavelength vary with color.

Light Composition and Color Perception

Incandescent bulbs emit all visible wavelengths of light.
Ultraviolet light reflecting off a violet surface appears black, as violet absorbs similar wavelengths.
Red light has a greater wavelength than green light, while blue light has a greater frequency than green light.

Color Mixing and Perception

Adding red and green light produces yellow.
A surface illuminated by magenta light that absorbs red will appear blue.
The primary color needed to create white light from magenta is green.

Human Vision and Atmospheric Effects

The normal human eye can detect colors from 400 nm to 700 nm wavelengths.
Blue skies are due to the atmosphere scattering blue light more efficiently.

Wave Properties and Behavior

Electromagnetic waves in the air travel as transverse waves and do not require a medium.
The relationship between wave speed (v), wavelength (λ), and frequency (f) follows the equation v = fλ.
The correct speed of light in air is approximately 3 x 10^8 m/s.

Interference and Diffraction

Interference occurs when two light waves combine, creating areas of reinforcement and cancellation.
Light can cause diffraction, allowing some light to be seen in geometric shadows of narrow slits.
A thin oil layer produces colored patterns due to light interference at both oil/air and oil/water interfaces.

Polarization and Optical Devices

Polarization of light is determined by the direction of the oscillating electric field.
Polaroid material is commonly used to polarize beams of light, often in sunglasses.
Applying an anti-reflective coating on glass increases light transmittance.

Light Behavior and Environmental Interaction

Under green light, a green surface appears green; plants do not effectively utilize green light.
Diffuse reflection occurs when light reflects off surfaces irregularly, reducing shine.
Unpolarized light passing through a polarizing filter results in about half being polarized.

Color Models and Vision Components

Subtractive color mixing uses magenta, yellow, and cyan as primary colors.
Cones are the light-sensitive cells in the human eye responsible for color vision.
Infrared waves have shorter wavelengths compared to microwaves, an essential understanding in light spectrum.

Summary of Reflection and Interference

Mirrors produce specular reflection, allowing for distinct images.
When light passes through a diffraction grating, blue fringes appear closer to the central bright spot than red fringes.

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Description

Test your understanding of electromagnetic waves and their properties with these flashcards from Chapter 16. Challenge yourself with questions about frequency, types of waves, and statements related to light and sound. Perfect for reinforcing your physics knowledge.