science topic test term 2 2026

What is light?

The visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum that travels as a transverse wave.

What are the primary colours of light?

Red, green, and blue.

What colour has the longest wavelength?

Red.

What colour has the shortest wavelength?

Violet (or blue-violet).

What is white light?

A combination of all colours in the visible spectrum.

What is dispersion?

The splitting of white light into its component colours by a prism.

What is a luminous object?

An object that produces its own light.

What is a non-luminous object?

An object that reflects light.

What is a transparent material?

A material that allows light to pass through clearly.

What is a translucent material?

A material that allows some light through but not clearly.

What is an opaque material?

A material that does not allow light to pass through.

What is reflection?

The bouncing of light off a surface.

What is refraction?

The bending of light as it moves between different media.

What is the refractive index?

A measure of how much light bends in a substance.

What happens when light enters a higher refractive index medium?

It bends towards the normal.

What happens when light enters a lower refractive index medium?

It bends away from the normal.

What is wavelength?

The distance between two matching points on a wave.

What is frequency?

The number of waves passing a point each second.

What unit is frequency measured in?

Hertz (Hz).

What is amplitude?

The maximum height of a wave from its middle position.

What type of wave is light?

Transverse.

What type of wave is sound?

Longitudinal.

What are the electromagnetic spectrum bands in order?

Radio, Microwave, Infrared, Visible, Ultraviolet, X-ray, Gamma.

Which electromagnetic wave has the highest energy?

Gamma rays.

Which electromagnetic wave has the lowest energy?

Radio waves.

What is heat?

Energy transferred due to a temperature difference.

What is temperature?

A measure of the average kinetic energy of particles.

Which direction does heat move?

From hot objects to cold objects.

What is conduction?

Heat transfer through direct particle collisions.

Where does conduction occur best?

Solids.

What is convection?

Heat transfer by moving liquids or gases.

What is radiation?

Heat transfer by infrared electromagnetic waves.

What is a conductor?

A material that transfers heat easily.

What is an insulator?

A material that resists heat transfer.

What causes sound?

Vibrations.

What are compressions?

Regions where particles are close together.

What are rarefactions?

Regions where particles are spread apart.

Can sound travel through a vacuum?

No.

What is the speed of sound in air at 20°C?

Approximately 343–344 m/s.

What determines pitch?

Frequency.

High frequency produces what type of pitch?

High pitch.

Low frequency produces what type of pitch?

Low pitch.

What determines loudness?

Amplitude.

What unit measures loudness?

Decibels (dB).

What range of frequencies can humans hear?

Approximately 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

What part of the ear collects sound waves?

The outer ear.

What vibrates when sound enters the ear?

The eardrum.

What does the cochlea do?

Converts vibrations into nerve impulses.

What carries sound information to the brain?

The auditory nerve.

What is the function of the cornea?

Begins focusing light entering the eye.

What is the function of the iris?

Controls the amount of light entering the eye.

What is the pupil?

The opening that allows light into the eye.

What is the function of the lens?

Focuses light onto the retina.

What is the retina?

A layer of light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye.

What do rods detect?

Brightness and dim light.

What do cones detect?

Colour.

What does the optic nerve do?

Sends visual information to the brain.

What is the fovea?

The area of sharpest vision on the retina.

What is myopia?

Short-sightedness.

What is hyperopia?

Long-sightedness.

What is astigmatism?

Blurred vision caused by an irregularly shaped cornea.