PROPERTIES OF LIGHT AND SOUND WAVES

properties of light

speed, reflection, refraction, transmission, color/wavelength

speed

travels appropriately 300,000 km/s in a vacuum

reflection

light bounces off surfaces. this is how we see things that don't produce their own light

refraction

light bends when it passes from one medium to another. this is how lenses work

transmission

light passes through certain materials

color/wavelength

diff colors of light are simply waves in diff wavelengths

properties of sound

speed, pitch (frequency), loudness (amplitude), reflection (echo)

speed

travels much slower than light, approximately 343 m/s in air at room temperature. it varies depending on the medium

pitch (frequency)

how high or low a sound is. determined by the wave's frequency (measured in hertz/hz) HIGHER FREQUENCY= HIGHER PITCH

loudness (amplitude)

how loud or soft a sound is. determined by the wave's amplitude (height) HIGHER AMPLITUDE = LOUDER SOUND

reflection (echo)

sound bounces of surfaces

fiber optics

uses transmission and total internal reflection of light pulses through thin glass fibers to send vast amounts of data very quickly over long distances

remote controls

uses invisible infrared light pulses

telephones/microphones

converts sound waves into electrical signals using amplitude or frequency and back again

radio

sound information is encoded onto waves

GPS (global positioning system)

relies precisely on timed radio signals/light waves from satellites

LIDAR (light detection and ranging)

uses laser pulses to map surroundings

SONAR (sound navigation and ranging)

uses reflection of sound waves underwater to detect objects, map the seabed, or find fish

bats and dolphins

uses echolocation (natural SONAR)

x-rays

high-energy light waves that transmit through soft tissue but are absorbed by denser materials like bone, creating images

lasers

used in surgery, wye treatments, and diagnostics

endoscopy

uses fiber optics to see inside the body

ultrasound

uses high-frequency sound waves and their echos to create images of internal organs or a developing fetus. safe because it doesn't use ionizing radiation

screens (tvs/phones)

emit different colors/wavelengths of light to create images

photography/movies

captures reflected light using lenses to focus images

concert lighting

uses reflection, color, and intensity

music

instruments uses diff pitches/frequencies and loudness/amplitude

speakers

convert electrical signals back into sound waves

acoustics

uses principle of sound reflection and absorption to ensure good sound quality