Integrated Physical Sciences: Section 1: Lessons 10-12

oscillation

a repetitive motion that usually occurs about a center point

electromagnetic wave

a combination of an oscillating electric field and an oscillating magnetic field; electromagnetic waves can travel through both the vacuum of space and a medium

equilibrium

a position or state to which an oscillating object eventually returns after a disturbance is gone

mechanical waves

waves that can travel only through matter and require a medium to transport their energy

vacuum

a space in which there is no matter

wave

a repeating and periodic disturbance (oscillation) that travels from one location to another, transferring energy.

What is a repeating disturbance that transports energy from one place to another called?

a wave

What is the material through which a mechanical wave travels called?

a medium

what can a mechanical wave not travel through?

a vacuum

Which type of waves do not require matter to propagate?

electromagnetic

Why can sound waves not travel in a vacuum?

they are mechanical waves

traverse wave

a wave where the oscillation is perpendicular to the direction the wave is traveling

longitudinal wave

a wave where the oscillation is parallel to the direction the wave is traveling

In which type of wave does matter in the medium oscillate in the same direction the wave travels?

longitudinal

What is the region of a longitudinal wave where particles are far apart called?

expansion

What does a wave transfer from one place to another?

energy, but not matter

A duck is floating on the surface of a lake. When a wave passes through the water, what happens to the duck?

It will move up and down, but it will return to approximately the same spot after the wave passes.

equilibrium position

the center point of a wave where no movement is occurring

crest

the highest point of a transverse wave

amplitude

vertical distance from the equilibrium to the crest or the equilibrium to the trough of a transverse wave

wavelength

the horizontal distance after which the wave repeats itself in space

period

an interval in time after which the motion of a particle on the medium starts to repeat

frequency

the number of oscillations the wave makes in a given amount of time, typically a second

trough

the lowest point of a transverse wave

how is the amplitude of a water wave measured?

in meters

how is a period measured for a wave?

in units of time

What is the horizontal distance from one crest of a transverse wave to the next crest called?

wavelength

What is the number of wavelengths that pass by a given point each second called?

the frequency

What is the highest point of a transverse wave called?

crest

What is the lowest point of a transverse wave called?

trough

What is the maximum vertical distance between an equilibrium and the crest of a wave called?

amplitude

What is the time it takes for one full oscillation of a particle in a medium?

period

how fast do electromagnetic waves travel?

3 x 10^8 (speed of light)

Which part of the EM spectrum has the highest frequency?

x-rays

2 multiple choice options

Which part of the EM spectrum has the highest energy?

ultraviolet radiation

2 multiple choice options

Which part of the EM spectrum has the longest wavelength?

radio waves

2 multiple choice options

The greatest source of UV radiation on the earth is

the sun

Which color has the longest wavelength?

red

Which color has the shortest wavelength?

violet

How much of the EM spectrum is visible to the human eye?

only a small part

Which color has the highest energy?

blue

Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the lowest relative frequency?

microwave

radio waves

radiation with the lowest energy on the EM spectrum; produced naturally by lightning and by certain kinds of stars and galaxies; used for communication

microwaves

radiation with higher energy than radio waves; used in food preparation, communication, and radar systems

infrared radiation

radiation with just slightly lower energy than red visible light; the warmer the object, the more infrared radiation it gives off; used to detect heat sources or to generate heat

visible light

radiation emitted by any object hot enough to glow; used in laser applications and in photosynthesis

UV radiation

radiation with more energy than visible light that can penetrate and damage cells, such as bacteria and mold spores; used to detect counterfeit bills and documents; can cause skin cancer

X-Rays

higher energy than ultraviolet light that can penetrate deeper into materials; used to take images of the inside of the body

Gamma rays

radiation with the highest energies of all forms of EM radiation; used to treat cancer and to detect people or dangerous objects behind thick metal walls; exposure to gamma rays can cause severe illness or death

Which type of EM radiation would alert emergency personnel of a patient's condition while the ambulance is still on the way?

redio waves

Which type of EM radiation would detect an approaching tropical storm?

microwaves

compression

when particles of matter are pushed closer together

expansion

when particles of matter are pulled away from each other

pitch

how high or low a sound is; the pitch of a sound depends on the frequency of the sound waves

loudness

the energy of a sound wave; the greater the energy of the wave, the greater its amplitude and, therefore, the louder the sound

What is the region where the air pressure is lower than usual?

expansion

in which region have the particles been pushed closer together?

compression

When people say that the sound produced by a guitar string is a mechanical wave and not an electromagnetic wave, what do they mean?

A medium is needed for the sound wave to transfer energy.

How does the speed of a sound wave through a piece of glass compare to its speed through air?

it is greater

How does the speed of an electromagnetic wave through a piece of glass compare to its speed through air?

it is less

While walking on the surface of the moon, which waves do astronauts need to use to talk to each other?

radio waves

Why can astronauts easily converse inside the spaceship without any equipment, just like on Earth?

because there are air particles in the spaceship

In which situation can a sound wave propagate?

If particles of a medium are present

What accurately describes a sound wave?

It is a disturbance that moves through a medium away from the source of sound.

What is the term for the horizontal distance after which a wave repeats itself in space?

wavelength

You and a friend are holding a coiled spring stretched between the two of you. If you push your end toward your friend and then pull it back toward you, what type of wave will be created in the coiled spring?

A longitudinal wave

What are regions where the particles of a medium are farther apart called?

expansion

What is a sound wave a propagation of?

compressions and expansions

In an old cowboy movie, a cowboy presses his ear to the ground, listening for the sound of approaching horse hooves. Why does the cowboy listen through the ground and not the air?

Sound waves travel faster through the ground.

Which statement about light is correct?

light travels faster than sound

Which frequency does a shorter wavelength correspond to at constant speed?

higher frequency

While listening to someone playing a piano, you observe that when they hit a key gently, the sound is soft. When they hit the same key again a little harder, the sound is louder. What part of the sound wave increases as the sound that the piano produces becomes louder?

amplitude

Which statement describes amplitude?

Amplitude is the distance between the equilibrium and trough

What are radio waves commonly used for?

communication

Why do warm objects, such as humans and warm-blooded animals, stand out on thermal images against cooler backgrounds?

infrared radiation

Which property of a sound wave determines its loudness?

amplitude

Which property of a sound wave determines pitch?

frequency

What is the most energetic radiation?

gamma rays

What is the most penetrating radiation?

x-ray

Suppose you produce a wave that travels along a long coiled spring by repeatedly moving the end of the spring back and forth along the direction of the spring. If you increase the number of times you move the end of the spring back and forward per second, but the speed of the wave stays the same, what increases?

the frequency

What determines the amount of energy a sound wave carries from a loudspeaker to a listener's ear?

amplitude

Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the highest frequency?

gamma rays

What are microwaves commonly used for?

cell phone communication

Which kind of electromagnetic radiation is commonly used for controlling air traffic by locating planes?

radio waves

Which characteristic distinguishes a longitudinal wave from a transverse wave?

The direction of the wave's vibration

When one end of a long rope is secured in a stationary spot and you move the other end of the rope up and down, you will create waves in the rope. Those waves carry energy. How is the energy that is carried along the length of the rope a wave?

The waveform travels along the rope without each small segment of rope moving very far.

How does a sound wave carry energy from a loudspeaker to the ear of the listener?

The pattern of compressions travels; the air itself remains in about the same place.

what characteristic distinguishes radio waves from X-rays?

wavelengths

If an electromagnetic wave's wavelength is equal to the diameter of Earth, which kind of electromagnetic wave is it?

radio wave

If you are told the wavelength of the light emitted by a laser, what could you infer about that light?

its color

Electromagnetic radiation travels as waves, and the amount of energy it delivers when absorbed by matter or the damage it can cause depends on its wavelength. Which kind of light delivers the most energy and is the most damaging?

x-rays

Which kind of electromagnetic radiation is likely to cause a nasty sunburn if you do not use sunscreen at the beach?

ultraviolet