Electric Fields and Light Waves Lecture

These flashcards cover key concepts related to electric fields, electric charges, capacitors, and light waves as discussed in the lecture.

Electric Field

A region around a charged particle where a force is exerted on other charged particles.

Coulomb's Law

The law stating that the electrostatic force between two charges is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Test Charge

A small positive charge used to measure the electric field without disturbing it.

Electric Field Lines

Lines that represent the direction of the electric field, pointing away from positive charges and towards negative charges.

Capacitor

A device that stores electrical energy in an electric field.

Battery

A device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy.

Electromagnetic Wave

A wave of energy formed by oscillating electric and magnetic fields that propagate through space.

Visible Light

The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be detected by the human eye.

Infrared Light

Electromagnetic waves with wavelengths longer than visible light, associated with heat.

Ultraviolet Light

Electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than visible light, which can cause chemical reactions such as tanning.

Frequency

The number of waves that pass a point in one second; higher frequency means shorter wavelength.

Wavelength

The distance between successive crests of a wave; longer wavelengths have lower frequencies.

Gamma Rays

High-frequency electromagnetic waves with very short wavelengths, highly penetrating, and associated with nuclear reactions.

Reflection

The bouncing back of a wave when it hits a barrier.

Refraction

The bending of waves as they pass from one medium to another due to a change in speed.

Diffraction

The spreading out of waves when they pass through a narrow opening or around obstacles.

Dispersion

The separation of waves into their component frequencies or wavelengths.