Electromagnetic Spectrum
This type of EMS wave can be felt as heat
Infrared Wave
When a wave bounces off a surface, this behavior is called:
Reflection
If wavelength increases, frequency will
Decrease
Amplitude is the height of a wave from the rest position to the:
Crest or trough
This type of wave does NOT need a medium to travel.
Electromagnetic Wave
This EMS wave has the longest wavelength
Radio Waves
When a wave bends as it enters a new medium, it is called:
Refraction
These two properties have an inverse relationship.
Wavelength and frequency
If amplitude increases, the energy of the wave will:
Increase
Why do you feel heat when you stand in sunlight?
Infrared radiation
This type of radiation has higher energy than ultraviolet but lower than gamma rays.
X-Rays
What happens to a wave when it is absorbed by a material?
It is absorbed
A wave with a very short wavelength will have what kind of frequency?
High Frequency
Which wave has more energy: one with high amplitude or low amplitude?
High amplitude
Why does a straw look “bent” when placed in a glass of water?
Refraction—light bends as it moves between air and wate
Why do gamma rays have more energy than radio waves?
They have higher frequency (and shorter wavelengths)
This wave behavior explains why you can hear sound around corners.
Diffraction
Explain why wavelength and frequency are inversely related.
Because wave speed is constant, so if one increases, the other must decrease
Does changing amplitude affect wavelength or frequency? Explain.
No, it only affects energy
Why are X-rays used in hospitals to see bones but not visible light?
X-rays have higher energy and can pass through soft tissue but are absorbed by denser materials like bone
Explain the relationship between wavelength, frequency, and energy across the EMS spectrum.
As wavelength decreases, frequency and energy increase
Compare reflection, refraction, and diffraction. How are they different?
Reflection = bouncing
Refraction = bending through mediums
Diffraction = spreading around obstacles
A wave’s wavelength doubles. What happens to its frequency?
Frequency is cut in half
Two waves travel through the same medium. Wave A has a higher amplitude than Wave B. What can you conclude about their energy, and why?
Wave A has more energy because energy increases with amplitude.
A concert speaker increases the volume of music. What property of the sound wave is changing, and how does that affect what you hear?
Amplitude increases, which increases the energy of the wave and makes the sound louder