Optics & waves

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  • Created by: dynamo13
  • Created on: 15-11-16 20:35
Amplitude
The maximum displacement, the size,of a wave.
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Angle of Incidence
the angle at which a ray of light hits a surface
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Angle of Reflection
The angle at which a ray of light reflects off a surface
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Angle of Refraction
The angle at which a ray of light bends when it goes through a refractive surface.
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Band
A range of frequencies in electromagnetic radiation.
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Coherent
A group of waves that are lined up and moving together
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Compression
The point in a longitudinal wave where the medium has the highest density.
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Concave lens
A lens that turns inward, a diverging lens
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Constructive
Interference Interference that increases the amplitude of the combined wave.
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Converging lens
A lens that turns light rays toward a point, the focus
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Convex lens
A lens that bulges outward, converging lens
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Crest
The maximum displacement of a medium in a transverse wave.
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Critical angle
The largest angle that refraction can occur when light moves from a more dense to a less dense medium
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Destructive interference
Interference that decreases the amplitude of the combined waves.
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Diffraction
The property of waves that involves their spreading out from a small aperture
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Diminished image
An image that is smaller than the original object.
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Dispersion
The effect of separating light into frequencies (colors) in a prism due to the fact that the refractive index of a material is different for different frequencies.
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Diverging lens
A lens that spreads light out from a point, the focus.
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Doppler effect
The effect of hearing or seeing frequencies different from those of the source due to the relative velocities of the source and receiver.
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Electromagnetic radiation
Radiation made of electric and magnetic waves that does not need a medium (Light).
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Electromagnetic spectrum
Electromagnetic radiation of all frequencies.
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Focus
The point on the horizontal line from a lens that said lens either draws light to in a converging lens, or pulls light away from in a diverging lens.
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Frequency
How many times an event happens in a particular time.
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Gamma rays
The electromagnetic waves of the highest frequency. They are used mostly for sterilisation of food and medical equipment.
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Hertz (Hz)
The unit for frequency (1/s)
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Image
How an object is seen when light going through goes through a lens or reflects off a mirror.
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Infrasound Infrasound
Sound with frequencies too low for humans to hear.
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Infrared
A band of electromagnetic radiation with a frequency greater than microwaves but smaller than visible light; it is used for remote control signals and most heat is transferred in this band in everyday life.
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Intensity
A quantity related to the brightness of light and loudness of sound; it is related to the amplitude of their respective waves.
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Interference
The property of waves that involves their re-combining after coming together
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Inverted Image
An image that is upside-down.
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Ionising radiation
Radiation that can ***** the electrons from atoms. This includes electromagnetic radiation above ultraviolet and also nuclear radiation.
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Law of Reflection
The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection
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Laser
A light beam that is monchromatic and coherent
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Lens
A device for bending light using refraction
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Longitudinal wave
A wave in which the wave itself moves parallel to the medium.
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Magnification
The ability of a lens of a mirror to show an image with a different size than the original object.
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Magnified image
An image with a size greater than the original object.
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Microwaves
A band of electromagnetic radiation with a frequency greater than radio waves but less than infrared; it is used for cellphone signals and microwave ovens
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Pitch
Pitch
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Principal focus
The focus of a lens
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Radio waves
A band of electromagnetic waves of lowest frequency used for radio and TV signals
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Rarefaction
The point in a longitudinal wave where the medium is least dense.
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Ray diagram
A picture used to show how rays of light bend when going through a lens or reflecting off a mirror.
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Real Image
An image that is the result of converging light rays; this image can be projected
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Reflection
Bouncing of waves off a surface
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Refraction
The bending of waves in a medium due to the different velocities they will travel in the respective media.
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Refractive Index
The capacity of a material to refract light, its symbol is usually n
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Speed of light
The speed at which electromagnetic radiation travels in space, the highest speed in the universe c=3.00x10^8 m/s
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Snell's Law
The law of refraction n(incidence) x angle(incidence) = n(refraction) x angle(refraction)
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Sound
Waves caused by vibrations in the air that we can hear.
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Thin lens
A lens that is small enough that we do not have to take into account its internal structure.
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Total Internal Reflection
When light coming from a more dense to a less dense medium completely reflects because it comes in above the critical angle.
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Transverse wave
A wave in which the wave itself moves perpendicular to the medium.
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Trough
The minimum displacement of a transverse wave.
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Ultraviolet
The band of electromagnetic radiation above visible light and below x-rays.
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Ultrasound
Sound with a frequency too high for humans to hear.
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Upright Image
An image that is right-side up
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Virtual Image
An image that is the result of diverging rays that only has the appearance of convergence.
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Visible Light
The band of electromagnetic radiation that we can see. It frequencies are above infrared and below ultraviolet.
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Wave
A disturbance in a medium, or in the case of electromagnetic waves, without a medium.
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Wave equation
The relationship between frequency,wavelength,and velocity if a wave wavelength x frequency = velocity
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Wavelength
The distance from crest to crest in a transverse wave or trough to trough in a longitudinal wave.
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Wave optics
An understanding of optics that treats light as waves.
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X-rays
The band of electromagnetic radiation above ultraviolet and below gamma rays;they are used in medical testing.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Angle of Incidence

Back

the angle at which a ray of light hits a surface

Card 3

Front

Angle of Reflection

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Angle of Refraction

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Band

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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