AQA GCSE Physics > Topic 6: Waves - Subtopic 2: Electromagnetic Waves > Flashcards

Topic 6: Waves - Subtopic 2: Electromagnetic Waves Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the definition of electromagnetic waves?

A

Transverse waves that transfer energy from the source of the waves to an absorber

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1
Q

Name a property that all electromagnetic waves share.

A

They are all transverse waves

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2
Q

Name a property that all electromagnetic waves share.

A

They can all travel through a vacuum

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3
Q

Name a property that all electromagnetic waves share.

A

They all travel at the same speed in a vacuum

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4
Q

How many types of electromagnetic waves are there in the EM spectrum?

A

7 types

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5
Q

How is the electromagnetic spectrum arranged?

A

Based on wavelengths or frequencies, from longest wavelength (lowest frequency) to shortest wavelength (highest frequency)

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6
Q

What happens to the energy of electromagnetic radiation as frequency increases?

A

The energy increases

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7
Q

Why is high energy radiation harmful?

A

It is highly ionising and can damage cells and tissues, potentially causing cancer

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8
Q

Which types of electromagnetic waves are considered high energy and harmful?

A

UV, X-rays, and Gamma rays

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9
Q

What makes low energy radiation useful?

A

It is useful for communications and less harmful to humans

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10
Q

What is visible light?

A

The range of wavelengths which are visible to humans, about 0.0035% of the whole electromagnetic spectrum

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11
Q

Which colour of visible light has the longest wavelength?

A

Red

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12
Q

Which colour of visible light has the shortest wavelength?

A

Violet

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13
Q

Which colour of visible light has the highest frequency?

A

Violet

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14
Q

Which colour of visible light has the lowest frequency?

A

Red

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15
Q

What mnemonic can help remember the order of colours in the visible spectrum?

A

Roy G. Biv or Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet)

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16
Q

What happens to EM waves with shorter wavelengths regarding energy?

A

They carry higher energy

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17
Q

Why are EM waves with higher energy more dangerous?

A

They are more ionising and can cause more damage to cells

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18
Q

How do microwave ovens transfer energy?

A

They transfer energy by radiation to the thermal store of food, as water molecules absorb microwave radiation

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19
Q

What type of radiation do hot objects emit?

A

Infrared radiation

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20
Q

Name three types of EM radiation emitted by the Sun.

A

Visible light, infrared waves, and ultraviolet waves

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21
Q

What happens to visible light when emitted by the Sun?

A

It allows living creatures to see

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22
Q

What happens to infrared waves when emitted by the Sun?

A

They heat up the Earth

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23
Q

What happens to ultraviolet waves when emitted by the Sun?

A

They cause suntans and sunburn

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24
What are the four possible interactions when EM waves move from one medium to another?
Transmission, absorption, reflection, and refraction
25
What factors determine how a material interacts with EM waves?
The wavelength of the waves and the material the wave is travelling through
26
How does glass interact with visible light?
It transmits and/or refracts visible light
27
How does glass interact with UV radiation?
It absorbs UV radiation
28
How does glass interact with IR radiation?
It reflects IR radiation
29
What causes refraction of EM waves?
The difference in velocity of the waves in different substances
30
How do EM waves behave when they encounter materials like water or glass?
They slow down
31
What happens to the speed of EM waves when they enter a denser medium?
They slow down
32
What happens to light rays when they pass from a less dense to a more dense medium?
They bend towards the normal
33
What happens to light rays when they pass from a more dense to a less dense medium?
They bend away from the normal
34
What happens to light rays when they pass along the normal?
They do not bend at all
35
What properties change during refraction?
Speed and wavelength change, but frequency remains constant
36
Why doesn't light change color when it refracts?
Because the frequency does not change during refraction
37
When investigating infrared radiation
what is the independent variable?
38
When investigating infrared radiation
what is the dependent variable?
39
What should be controlled when investigating infrared radiation?
Identical flasks (except colour), same amounts of hot water, same starting temperature, and same time interval
40
Which coloured surface loses heat fastest through radiation?
Black
41
Which coloured surface loses heat slowest through radiation?
Silver
42
What happens when an electromagnetic wave is absorbed by an electron?
The electron moves up to a higher energy level
43
What happens when an electron moves down to a lower energy level?
It emits an electromagnetic wave
44
What energy range is typically associated with electron transitions in atoms?
Visible and ultraviolet range (sometimes X-rays)
45
How are radio waves produced?
By connecting an antenna to a high frequency alternating current power source
46
What happens in a transmitting antenna?
The charge from the alternating current oscillates up and down, producing radio waves
47
What happens in a receiving aerial?
It absorbs radio waves, creating an alternating current with the same frequency as the transmitted wave
48
What is the relationship between frequency and ionisation potential?
As frequency increases, so does the ionisation potential
49
Which three types of EM radiation can ionise atoms?
Ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays
50
What is radiation dose?
A measure of the risk of harm resulting from exposure to ionising radiation
51
What unit is radiation dose measured in?
Sieverts (Sv) or millisieverts (mSv)
52
What is the typical background radiation per year?
About 1.5 to 3.5 mSv per year
53
What amount of radiation is enough to cause death?
8 Sv
54
Why are microwaves potentially dangerous?
Certain frequencies are absorbed by water molecules, which could cause internal heating
55
Are microwaves used in mobile phones harmful?
They emit very small amounts of energy which are not known to cause harm
56
How do microwave ovens prevent radiation from escaping?
By using metal walls and a metal grid in the glass door
57
What damage can UV radiation cause to eyes?
Severe eye damage
58
How do sunglasses protect eyes from UV radiation?
They absorb ultraviolet light
59
How does UV radiation damage skin?
It is ionising, can kill cells or cause them to malfunction, resulting in premature aging and skin cancer
60
How does sunscreen protect skin?
It absorbs ultraviolet light
61
Why are X-rays and gamma rays the most dangerous EM waves?
They are the most ionising, can penetrate the body, cause internal damage, and mutation of genes
62
What precaution do doctors take when using X-rays?
They leave the room when taking X-rays to avoid unnecessary exposure
63
What are radiation badges used for?
To measure the amount of radiation exposure in people working with radiation
64
Which EM waves are used for satellite communications?
Radio waves and microwaves
65
Which EM waves are used for television and radio broadcasting?
Radio waves
66
Which EM waves are used to kill bacteria?
Ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays
67
Which EM waves are used in security scanners at airports?
X-rays
68
Which EM waves are used in night vision equipment?
Infrared
69
Which EM waves are used for cooking food?
Microwaves
70
Which EM waves help diagnose broken bones?
X-rays
71
Which EM waves are used in cancer treatments?
Gamma rays
72
Why are radio waves suitable for communications?
They can travel long distances without much energy loss and can pass through buildings
73
Why are microwaves suitable for satellite communications?
They can pass through the atmosphere with little absorption
74
Why is infrared suitable for night vision?
It is emitted by all warm objects, and special cameras can detect it
75
Why are X-rays suitable for medical imaging?
They can pass through soft tissue but are absorbed by denser materials like bone
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