Light, Sound, Chemistry, and Safety Science Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing light and sound physics, Louis Pasteur's discoveries, household chemical products, government regulatory agencies, and environmental science concepts.

Sound Wave

A mechanical wave that requires a material medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to travel and cannot propagate through a vacuum.

Frequency (Sound)

The number of vibrations per second of a wave, which primarily determines its pitch.

Amplitude

The maximum disturbance of a wave, which directly determines its loudness or intensity.

Wavelength

The distance between corresponding points of consecutive waves, which is related to frequency.

Light Wave

An electromagnetic wave that does not require a material medium and can travel through empty space or a vacuum.

SONAR

An acronym for SOund NAvigation Ranging; a system that uses reflected sound waves to locate or measure objects underwater.

SONAR Depth Formula

The mathematical formula used to measure underwater depth using round-trip sound travel time: $\text{Depth} = \frac{\text{Speed} \times \text{Time}}{2}$.

Ultrasound

Sound waves with frequencies higher than the normal human hearing range, used in medical imaging to examine internal organs and body tissues.

Acoustic Materials

Materials used to absorb or control sound in order to reduce unwanted sound transmission and reverberation.

Sound Amplifier

A device that increases the strength of an audio signal, primarily by increasing its amplitude.

LED

An acronym for Light-Emitting Diode; an energy-efficient device that produces light through semiconductor-based electroluminescence.

Optical Fiber

A transmission medium that carries digital information using light pulses and is resistant to electrical interference.

Laser

A device that produces a highly concentrated and coherent beam of light used in precision medical, surgical, and industrial applications.

Louis Pasteur

A scientist with a background in chemistry and crystallography who made groundbreaking contributions to microbiology, vaccination, and food preservation.

Chirality (Molecular Asymmetry)

A property of molecular structures where forms exist as non-superimposable mirror images, studied by Louis Pasteur using tartaric acid crystals.

Swan-Neck Flask Experiment

An experiment by Louis Pasteur demonstrating that environmental contamination from dust and microorganisms, rather than air alone, causes microbial growth.

Pasteurization

A process designed by Louis Pasteur to reduce harmful microorganisms in food or beverages while preserving product quality.

Sodium Hypochlorite

The active chemical in household bleach that functions as an oxidizing agent to break chemical bonds in stains and kill microbes.

Surfactant

A surface-active cleaning agent that reduces surface tension and helps water interact with grease and dirt.

Hydrophilic Head

The water-attracting portion of a surfactant molecule.

Hydrophobic Tail

The oil- and grease-attracting portion of a surfactant molecule.

Fluoride

An active ingredient in toothpaste that promotes the remineralization and protection of tooth enamel.

Emulsifier

An ingredient (such as cetyl alcohol) added to cosmetic creams to prevent oil and water from separating.

Sodium Bicarbonate

An active ingredient in baking powder that reacts with an acid to release carbon dioxide gas bubbles for baking.

FDA (Food and Drug Administration)

The government agency responsible for health and safety, regulating cosmetics, and monitoring hazardous household substances.

DTI (Department of Trade and Industry)

The government agency responsible for enforcing quality standards and fair product labeling.

DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources)

The government agency concerned with environmental protection and regulating the environmental impact of chemical disposal.

Chloramine Gas

A toxic gas causing severe respiratory distress that is produced when bleach is improperly mixed with an ammonia-based cleaner.

Eutrophication

An environmental process caused by excess nutrient enrichment in a body of water, leading to rapid algae growth, oxygen depletion, and aquatic life mortality.