Revision Notes Waves

Waves- comparing sound and light
the speed of sound in air is ~ 343 m/s and the speed of light is 3x1010 m/s
Labelling a wave
Crest and trough
The highest surface part of a wave is called the crest, and the lowest part is the trough. Please see image
below.
Luminous and non-luminous objects
Luminous objects emit their own light examples include light bulb, torch and the Sun.
Non-luminous objects do not emit their own light examples include the moon and a mirror.
Transparent: all light passes through the object is clear and easy to see through example glass window or
cling film.
Translucent: some light passes through, but it is not clear example frosted glass or baking paper.
Opaque: Light does not pass through, object casts a shadow.
Reflection
Note: The angle of incidence (i) is always equal to the angle of reflection (r)
The law of reflection
When light reaches a mirror, it reflects off the surface of the mirror:
● the incident ray is the light going towards the mirror

● the reflected ray is the light coming away from the mirror
A ray diagram for reflection at a mirror
In the ray diagram:
● the hatched vertical line on the right represents the mirror

● the dashed line is called the normal, drawn at 90° to the surface of the mirror
● the angle of incidence, i, is the angle between the normal and incident ray
● the angle of reflection, r, is the angle between the normal and reflected ray
The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection, i = r. It works for
any angle. For example:
● the angle of reflection is 30° if the angle of incidence is 30°

● the angle of reflection is 90° if the angle of incidence is 90°
Refraction
Light waves change speed when they pass across the boundary between two substances with a
different density, such as air and glass. This causes them to change direction, an effect called refraction.
At the boundary between two transparent substances:
● the light slows down going into a denser substance, and the ray bends towards the normal
● the light speeds up going into a less dense substance, and the ray bends away from the normal
The diagram shows how this works for light passing into, and then out of, a glass block. The same would
happen for a Perspex block:
Refraction in a glass block. When light passes from air through a block with parallel sides, it emerges
parallel to the path of the light ray that entered it.
Angle of incidence is represented by i
Angle of refraction is represented by r
Dispersion
White light is a mixture of many different colours, each with a different frequency. White light can be
split up into a spectrum of these colours using a prism, a triangular block of glass or Perspex.
Light is refracted when it enters the prism, and each colour is refracted by a different amount. This
means that the light leaving the prism is spread out into its different colours, a process called dispersion.
The spectrum
Here are the seven colours of the spectrum listed in order of their frequency, from the lowest frequency
(fewest waves per second) to the highest frequency (most waves per second):
● red
● orange
● yellow
● green
● blue
● indigo
● violet
This mnemonic is one way to remember the order: ‘Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain’.
Coloured light
There are three primary colours in light: red, green and blue. Light in these colours can be added
together to make the secondary colours magenta, cyan and yellow. All three primary colours add
together make white light.
Sound
Sound waves are longitudinal waves. They cause particles to vibrate parallel to the direction of wave
travel. The vibrations can travel through solids, liquids or gases. The speed of sound depends on
the medium through which it is travelling. When travelling through air, the speed of sound is about 330
metres per second (m/s). Sound cannot travel through a vacuum because there are no particles to carry
the vibrations.
The ear
The human ear detects sound. Sound waves enter the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. Three
small bones transmit these vibrations to the cochlea. This produces electrical signals which pass through
the auditory nerve to the brain, where they are interpreted as sound.
Hearing damage
Exposure to extreme loud sound or listening to loud sounds for a long time can cause hearing loss. Loud
noise can damage cells and membranes in the cochlea. Listening to loud noise for a long time can
overwork hair cells in the ear, which can cause these cells to die.
Calculating the speed of sound
Speed (m/s)= distance (ms) divided by time (s)
Properties of sound
The frequency of a sound wave is related to the pitch that is heard:
● high frequency sound waves are high pitched

● low frequency sound waves are low pitched
The amplitude of a sound wave is related to the volume of the sound:
● high amplitude sound waves are loud

● low amplitude sound waves are quiet
For example:
Oscilloscope traces showing the following sounds:
1. quiet, low pitch sound

2. loud, low pitch sound
3. loud, high pitch sound
Echoes
An echo is a sound that is repeated because the sound waves are reflected back. Sound waves can
bounce off smooth, hard objects in the same way as a rubber ball bounces off the ground. ... That is
why echoes can be heard in a canyon, cave, or mountain range. But sounds are not always reflected.

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Waves- comparing sound and light

Crest and trough

Opaque: Light does not pass through, object casts a shadow.

The law of reflection

● the incident ray is the light going towards the mirror

In the ray diagram:

● the hatched vertical line on the right represents the mirror

● the angle of reflection is 30° if the angle of incidence is 30°

At the boundary between two transparent substances:

Angle of incidence is represented by i

Angle of refraction is represented by r

Calculating the speed of sound

Speed (m/s)= distance (ms) divided by time (s)

The frequency of a sound wave is related to the pitch that is heard:

● high frequency sound waves are high pitched

● high amplitude sound waves are loud

1. quiet, low pitch sound

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