Wavelength, Ray Model, and Particle Model of Light

A set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to the models of light and wave properties.

Wave Model of Light

A theory that explains that light has wave-like properties.

Ray Model of Light

The idea that light travels in a straight line and cannot bend around objects.

Particle Model of Light

A model that describes light as interacting with matter in packets or distinct particles of energy called photons.

Photoelectric Effect

The phenomenon where electrons are emitted from a material when light shines on it.

Photon

A particle of light that carries an exact amount of energy.

Crest

The highest point of a wave.

Trough

The lowest point of a wave.

Wavelength

The distance from one crest to the next crest or from one trough to the next trough.

Amplitude

The height of the wave crest or the depth of the wave trough from its rest position; related to the energy carried by the wave.

Frequency

The number of repetitive motions occurring in a given time, usually measured in hertz.

Transverse Wave

A wave where matter in the medium moves up and down, perpendicular to the direction of the wave.

Longitudinal Wave

A wave where matter in the medium moves forward and backward along the same direction as the wave.

Medium

The matter through which waves travel, such as air for sound waves or water for ocean waves.

Thomas Young’s Experiment

An experiment in the 1800s demonstrating that light spreads out into series of lines when passing through two narrow slits.

Electromagnetic Radiation

A form of energy that exhibits wave-like behavior as it travels through space.

Hertz (Hz)

The unit of frequency, equivalent to one cycle per second.

Energy Transfer

The process of energy moving from one location to another, typically seen in waves.

Wave Properties

Characteristics of waves including wavelength, amplitude, frequency, crest, and trough.

Energy of Light

The amount of energy carried by a photon, which increases as the frequency of the light increases.

Wave Behavior

Describes how light behaves, influenced by the wave, ray, and particle models.

Scientific Modeling

A scientific activity aimed at making complex features of the world easier to understand.