Light Waves Vocab
the bouncing back of an object or a wave when it hits a smooth surface through which it cannot pass
What is reflection?
what type of wave is light?
Transverse
the height of a transverse wave from the center to the crest or trough.
What is amplitude?
What does sound need to travel?
What is medium?
the lowest part of the transverse wave.
What is trough?
The process where matter (atoms or molecules) takes in light energy and converts it into another form, usually heat. Parts of the visible light spectrum remain and the rest is reflected
What is absorption?
When all three colors are reflected, you see ___
What is white?
A slinky represents this type of wave.
What is longitudinal?
How are frequency and wavelength related?
Higher frequency = shorter wavelength
Lower frequency = longer wavelength
the highest part of the transverse wave.
when waves pass through a given point or medium
What is trasmission?
When all three colors are absorbed, you see ___
What is black?
A sound wave cannot travel in this because there are no molecules to transfer the energy.
What is a vacuum?
What kind of frequency would a high energy have?
What is high frequency
the distance between two corresponding parts of a wave (crest to crest OR trough to trough).
What is wavelength?
the bending of light waves as they enter a new medium at an angle, caused by a change in speed and wavelength
What is refraction?
What are the 4 conditions that need to be met in order to see an object?
What is a light source, your working eyes, a direct and unblocked path, and an object
It depends on the energy of the disturbance that causes the wave. A wave caused by a disturbance with more energy has greater ____
What is amplitude?
Higher frequency=higher pitch
The number of waves that pass a given point
Frequency
Why does a black towel feel hotter than a white towel on a beach?
Black towels absorb light and heat.
White towels reflect light and heat.
Draw a model that shows how light travels to your eyes when you look at a car.
light source-> car-> your eyes
A student stands in a school hallway. A wall separates a classroom from the student. The student in the hallway cannot see inside the classroom but hears noises from within the classroom.
Why can the student hear the noises but cannot see into the classroom?
Sound waves are transmitted through the wall, and visible light waves are reflected by the wall.
What is the relationship between amplitude and loudness?
greater amplitude=louder sound
What is the difference between a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave?
Transverse waves have particles that move up and down.
Longitudinal waves have particles that move back and forth.