Wave Properties and Light Reflection

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Questions and Answers

What describes the direction of vibration in a longitudinal wave?

At right angles to the direction of propagation

Parallel to the direction of propagation (correct)

In a circular motion

Alternating between parallel and perpendicular

What happens to waves when they pass through a narrow gap?

They increase in speed

They reflect back completely

They lose their energy

They undergo diffraction (correct)

In the equation $v = f λ$, what does the variable $λ$ represent?

Frequency of the wave

Amplitude of the wave

Wave speed

Wavelength of the wave (correct)

Which of the following is not a characteristic of an optical image formed by a plane mirror?

It is magnified Signup and view all the answers

How does increasing the wavelength affect diffraction at an edge?

Diffraction increases Signup and view all the answers

What is the critical angle in the context of light refraction?

The angle at which total internal reflection occurs Signup and view all the answers

Which statement correctly describes the action of a thin converging lens on light?

It focuses parallel rays of light to a point Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the ratio of the speeds of a wave in two different regions in refraction?

Refractive index Signup and view all the answers

What happens to light when it passes through a prism?

It disperses into its component colors Signup and view all the answers

How does ultrasound differ from audible sound?

Ultrasound has higher frequency than 20 kHz Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a digital signal compared to an analogue signal?

Digital signals can be regenerated perfectly, while analogue signals may degrade Signup and view all the answers

What is the approximate speed of sound in air?

Approximately 330–350 m/s Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes total internal reflection?

Light bounces back entirely within a medium at angles greater than the critical angle Signup and view all the answers

What determines the focal length of a lens?

The curvature and material of the lens Signup and view all the answers

What happens when sound waves travel from air into water?

The sound waves refract and speed up Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of optical fibers?

To transmit light signals for communications Signup and view all the answers

How does an increase in amplitude of a sound wave affect its characteristics?

Increases the loudness of the sound Signup and view all the answers

What are the traditional components of the visible spectrum in order of frequency?

Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of refractive index?

The speed of light in a medium divided by the speed of light in a vacuum Signup and view all the answers

What best describes the relationship between wavelength and wave speed in the equation $v = f λ$?

Wave speed increases as wavelength decreases at constant frequency. Signup and view all the answers

In what scenario does diffraction occur based on the size of the gap relative to the wavelength?

Diffraction is pronounced when the gap size is comparable to the wavelength. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately explains the effects of reflection and refraction on waves when they encounter different media?

Reflection follows the law of reflection while refraction depends on the change in wave speed. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes how transverse waves differ from longitudinal waves?

Transverse waves have crests and troughs, while longitudinal waves consist of compressions and rarefactions. Signup and view all the answers

What principle describes the bending of waves as they pass from one medium to another with varying speeds?

The principle of refraction. Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of total internal reflection?

Light is reflected back into the medium it originated from at a specific angle. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes a virtual image formed by a diverging lens?

The image appears to be behind the lens and cannot be captured on a screen. Signup and view all the answers

What does a higher refractive index indicate about a medium?

It has a lower speed of light compared to vacuum. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor that determines the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another?

The density of the materials. Signup and view all the answers

In which circumstance does the critical angle occur?

When light travels from a less dense medium to a more dense medium. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following phenomena demonstrates dispersion?

White light separating into its component colors after passing through a prism. Signup and view all the answers

How does the use of optical fibers benefit telecommunications?

They allow for higher data rates due to minimal signal degradation over distance. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to sound velocity as it travels through different states of matter?

It typically travels faster in solids than in liquids. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor primarily affects the pitch of a sound wave?

The frequency of the wave. Signup and view all the answers

In which scenario would you expect a sound echo to be perceived?

In an open area with hard, flat surfaces reflecting sound waves. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the principal focus of a converging lens?

It is where parallel rays converge after refraction. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary disadvantage of digital signals compared to analogue signals?

They require more bandwidth for transmission. Signup and view all the answers

Which form of electromagnetic radiation has the highest frequency?

Gamma rays. Signup and view all the answers

What is one harmful effect of excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation?

Skin burns and increased risk of skin cancer. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Wave Properties

Waves transfer energy without transferring matter.
Wave motion is demonstrated by vibrations in ropes, springs, and water waves.
Wave features include wavefront, wavelength, frequency, crest, trough, amplitude, and wave speed.
Wave speed (v) = frequency (f) × wavelength (λ).
Transverse waves vibrate perpendicular to propagation (e.g., electromagnetic radiation, water waves, seismic S-waves).
Longitudinal waves vibrate parallel to propagation (e.g., sound waves, seismic P-waves).
Waves can be reflected, refracted, and diffracted.
Reflection, refraction, and diffraction are demonstrated using ripple tanks.
Diffraction depends on wavelength and gap size.

Light Reflection

Key terms: normal, angle of incidence, angle of reflection.
Plane mirrors create images that are the same size, same distance from the mirror, and virtual.
Angle of incidence = angle of reflection.
Reflection can be analyzed using constructions, measurements, and calculations.

Light Refraction

Key terms: normal, angle of incidence, angle of refraction.
Refraction can be observed by analyzing light passing through transparent blocks of different shapes.
Refraction involves light passing through a transparent material between two boundaries.
Critical angle is the specific angle for internal reflection.
Internal reflection occurs when light travels from a denser to a less dense medium.
Total internal reflection occurs when the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle.
Refractive index (n) = speed of light in medium 1 / speed of light in medium 2.
n = sin i / sin r
n = 1 / sin c
Optical fibers utilize total internal reflection for telecommunications.

Thin Lenses

Converging and diverging lenses affect parallel light beams differently.
Key terms: focal length, principal axis, principal focus (focal point).
Ray diagrams show real image formation by converging lenses.
Image characteristics include size (enlarged/same/diminished), orientation (upright/inverted), and type (real/virtual).
Virtual images are formed by diverging rays that appear behind the lens.
Ray diagrams show virtual image formation by converging lenses.
Single lenses can act as magnifying glasses.
Lenses correct long-sightedness and short-sightedness.

Light Dispersion

Light dispersion is demonstrated by the refraction of white light through a prism.
The visible spectrum has seven colors (traditional order) in frequency and wavelength order.
Monochromatic light has a single frequency.

Electromagnetic Spectrum

The electromagnetic spectrum includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays.
All electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed in a vacuum (approximately 3.0 × 10⁸ m/s).
Various uses tailored for each portion of the spectrum are listed (e.g., radio waves for radio transmission, microwaves for satellite TV, visible light for vision).
Excessive exposure to certain electromagnetic radiation types can be harmful; specific examples are detailed.
Microwaves cause internal heating, infrared causes burns, ultraviolet damage cells/eyes, X-rays/gamma rays cause mutations/cell damage.
Communication with satellites primarily uses microwaves.
Digital signals offer advantages like faster data transmission and longer range.

Sound

Sound is produced by vibrating sources.
Sound is a longitudinal wave.
Humans can hear frequencies from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
Sound needs a medium to travel.
Sound speed in air is approximately 330–350 m/s.
Sound waves consist of compressions and rarefactions.
Sound speed is fastest in solids, then liquids, then gases.
Measuring distance and time can determine sound speed.
Amplitude and frequency changes affect loudness and pitch.
Echoes are sound wave reflections.
Ultrasound is sound above 20 kHz.
Ultrasound applications include nondestructive testing, medical scanning, and sonar.

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Description

Explore the fundamental concepts of wave properties and light reflection in this quiz. Understand how waves transfer energy, their features, and the laws of reflection using plane mirrors. Test your knowledge on key terms and calculations related to wave behavior and light interactions.