Year 10 Science: Waves, Motion & Scientific Skills

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering wave properties, the electromagnetic spectrum, sound and light physics, motion and forces (Newton's Laws), and scientific inquiry skills.

Mechanical Wave

A type of wave that needs a medium to travel, such as sound or water waves.

EM Wave

An electromagnetic wave that requires no medium and can travel through a vacuum, such as light, radio, or X-rays.

Transverse Wave

A wave where the displacement is perpendicular to the direction of the wave, characterized by crests, troughs, amplitude, and wavelength ($\lambda$).

Longitudinal Wave

A wave, such as sound, characterized by compressions (C) and rarefactions (R) where the vibration is in the same direction as the wave travel.

Compression

A region in a longitudinal wave where the particles are closest together.

Rarefaction

A region in a longitudinal wave where the particles are furthest apart.

Wave Speed Formula

$v = f \times \lambda$, where $v$ is wave speed, $f$ is frequency, and $\lambda$ is wavelength.

EM Spectrum (Low to High Frequency)

Radio, TV/radio, Microwave, Infrared, Visible, UV, X-ray, Gamma.

Pitch

A property of sound determined by frequency; higher frequency results in a higher pitch.

Volume / Loudness

A property of sound determined by amplitude; higher amplitude results in higher volume.

Ossicles

Small bones in the ear that amplify vibrations from the eardrum before they reach the cochlea.

Cochlea

The part of the ear that converts vibrations into nerve signals for the brain to interpret as sound.

Ultrasound

High-frequency sound waves directed into the body to create images of tissues, used for foetal scans and organ imaging.

Reflection

The bouncing of light where the angle of incidence ($\theta_i$) equals the angle of reflection ($\theta_r$).

Refraction

The bending of light as it passes through different mediums like glass or water.

Absorption

The process where light is taken in by a material and converted into heat.

Scattering

The process where light is redirected in many directions.

Retina

The part of the eye that detects light after it has been focused by the lens.

Distance

A scalar quantity representing the total path length traveled without regard to direction.

Displacement

A vector quantity representing the straight-line distance and the specific direction from the starting point.

Speed

A scalar quantity representing the rate of change of distance, calculated as $v = d/t$.

Velocity

A vector quantity representing speed in a given direction, calculated as $v = \Delta d / t$.

Acceleration

The rate of change of velocity, measured in $m/s^2$ and calculated as $a = (v - u) / t$.

Newton's 2nd Law

The law stated as $F = m \times a$, where force equals mass times acceleration.

Distance-Time Graph Gradient

The slope of a distance-time graph, which represents the speed of the object.

Velocity-Time Graph Area

The area under a velocity-time graph, which represents the distance traveled.

Newton's 1st Law (Inertia)

The law stating objects stay still or keep moving in a straight line unless a net force acts on them.

Newton's 3rd Law

The law stating that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; forces come in pairs.

Independent Variable

The component of an experiment that is deliberately changed by the scientist.

Dependent Variable

The component of an experiment that is measured to see the effect of the change.

Controlled Variable

Factors kept constant during an experiment to ensure a fair test.

Reliability

Refers to the consistency of results when an experiment is repeated.

Validity

Refers to whether an experiment actually measures what it claims to measure.

Interpolation

The process of estimating a value within the existing range of data points on a graph.

Extrapolation

The process of predicting a value beyond the data range, which is considered less reliable.