WAVES AND LIGHT

A. Waves

A wave is a periodic disturbance that moves away from the source and carries energy with it. For
example, earthquake waves show us that the amount of energy carried by a wave can do work on
objects by exerting forces that move objects from their original position.

Waves can be classified according to the direction of motion of the vibrating particles with respect
to the direction in which the waves travel. Waves in a rope are called transverse waves because the
individual segments of the rope vibrate perpendicular to the direction in which the waves travel.

When you stretch out a coiled spring, a longitudinal wave is produced. The spring moves
forward and backward in the same direction or parallel to the wave motion. Notice that some
parts of the spring have coils that are closed together while in other parts, the coils are spread
out.

Waves on the surface of a body of water are a combination of transverse and longitudinal waves,
called surface waves. Each water molecule moves in circular pattern as the waves pass by.

While energy is transported by virtue of the moving pattern, it is important to remember that there
is no net transport of matter in wave motion. The particles vibrate about a normal position and do
not undergo a net motion.

Waves can also be classified according to the method of transmission. These are mechanical and
electromagnetic waves.

Mechanical waves require a medium for their transmission.A medium is any kind of matter
through which a wave can travel. A wave transfers energy from particle to particle in a medium.
Sound, ocean waves and seismic waves (resulting from earthquakes or volcanic eruptions), sound
transmitted through air. If there were no air particles to transmit sound, then talking would be
useless. In ocean waves, water is the medium. Seismic waves make use of the earth's layers.

Electromagnetic waves can travel without a medium. Unlike sound, light can travel through an
empty space or a vacuum. The energy of the sun reaches us even if the sun is so far away because
light does not need a medium for it to be transmitted.
The electromagnetic spectrum shows the various types of electromagnetic the range og their
frequencies and wavelength. The wave speed of all electromagnetic waves is the same and equal to
the speed of light which is approximately 300 000 000 m/s or 3.0 x 10⁸ m/s.

The electromagnetic spectrum has the list of the following elecrtromagnetic waves: 1) Radio
Waves 2) Microwaves 3) Infrared 4) Visible Lights 5) Ultraviolet 6) X-rays 7) Gamma Rays.
B. Wave Properties

We are surrounded by different types of waves. We see things because there is light (a transverse
wave) and communicate with others through sounds (longitudinal waves). To fully understand
waves, scientists found a way to study them by identifying and measuring their properties:
wavelength, amplitude, frequency and speed.

There are many properties that scientists used to describe. Each of these properties is described
below.

Wavelength - The distance between two successive crests or troughs of a transverse wave. In
symbol, that is λ and is measured in meters. It is an important property of a wave. In visible light,
the wavelength determines its color.

Amplitude - is the height of the wave. It is the meaure of the energy the wave carries. For
example, a strong wind in a beach creates lrger water waves than a gentle breeze.

Frequency - The number of waves thatpass a given point in a certain amount of time. It is
measured in units called hertz, after the german physicist Heinrich Hertz who discovered radio
waves. One wave per second equals 1 Hz.

Frequency and wavelength are inversely proportional. If you notice on the electromagnetic
spectrum, radio waves have the longest wavelength but the least frequency. On the other hand,
gamma rays have the shortest wavelength but the greatest frequency.

Different waves travel at different speeds. This csn be observed during a thunderstorm. You see
the lightning first before you hear the clap of thunder.

Wave speed - tells how far a wave moves in a given amount of time. Wave speed is equal to the
frequency multiplied by the wavelength.

Speed= frequency × wavelength

v = fλ

In a given medium, the speed of a wave is constant. Therefore if the speed is constant, an
increase in frequency may cause a decrease in its wavelength.

The highest part of the wave is called the crest.

The lowest part is called the trough.

Equilibrium Position - the undisturbed position of the wave.

A. Sources of Lights
Sources of light give off light by themselves. They can be categorized under natural or artificial
sources. Sun, moon, star and some living organisms like fireflies, jellyfish, glow-worm and certain
deep-sea plants and microorfanisms. Certain other natural phenomena such as lightning and
volcanic eruptions emit light.
Artificial light sources are categorized into incandescent, luminescent and gas discharge sources.
Examples of incandescent sources are candles and incandescent bulb. These objects when heated
emit both infrared and visible light.In luminescent sources, light can be produced by accelerating
charges in a luminescent material such as fluorescent tube light and electric bulb.In gas discharge
sources, electricity passes through certain gases at very low pressure to produce light like neon
lamp and sodium lamp.

There are two types of light. They are luminous and nonluminous. Objects that emit light on
their own are called luminous objects. Best examples are the sun, stars, light, bulb, etc. Objects
that do not reflect light pf their own are known as nonluminous objects such as wood, plastic,
and metal.

B. Behavior of Light

Light travels in straight path. Although light follows a straight path from the source, it can be
slowed down and scattered by objects placed in its path. You see rays of sunlight streaming
through a window on a sunny day because some of the light is scattered by dust particles in the
air.

Light can pass through, bounce off, or be absorbed by matter. Light easily passes through air. It can
pass through glass and water. Matter that transmits most of the light that strikes it is said to be
transparent. Transparent materials allow light to pass through so you can clearly see objects
through them. Other materials like frosted glass allow some light to pass through but you cannot
vlearly see objects through them. These materials are translucent. Matter that reflects or absorbs
but does not transmit light is said to be opaque. Most solids are opaque. You cannot see through
them.

Light travels a speed of 300 million m/s in a vacuum(empty space). At this amazing speed, light
from the sun takes only 8 minutes to travel to Earth, Nothing travels faster than the speed of light.
When light passes through a medium, it travels more slowly. In air, it travels at about 99% of its
speed in space. In water it slows down to 225 million m/s and through glass the speed of light
decreases to 200 million m/s. In short light travels fastest in an emty space followed by gas, liquid
and solid.

The brightness of light depends on the source and the distance from the source. Brightness is
qualitative and is dependent on the person's perception. The closer you are to the source, the
brighter the light. The quantity that measures the amount of light is called intensity. The
intensity depends upon the amount of light that passes a certain area.

C. Electromagnetic Spectrum

Light waves are produced by the vibrations of electric and magnetic fields. Light is therefore a
form of electromagnetic radiation. Electromagnetic waves differ from other types of waves
because they do not need medium to transfer energy. Have you undergone an x-ray procedure?
What is seen on the film negative? What causes the image to be formed in the film negative?
The electromagnetic spectrum is the complete range of electromagnetic waves placed in order of
increasing frequency but decreasing wavelength. The electromagnetic spectrum is made up of
radio waves, microwaves, infrared rays, visible light, ultraviolet rays, x-rays and gamma rays.

Of all the electromagnetic waves, radio waves carry the least amount of energy. Radi network
networks. Air-traffic control towers in airport use radar to determine the location of aircrafts.
Microwaves are high energy radio waves. Cellular phones transmit and receive signals using
microwaves. It is also applied in cooking.

Infrared rays carry more energy than microwaves. Remote control uses infrared radiation. Visible
light occupies electromagnetic spectrum. Each individual wavelength in the visible light represents
a narrow range of the overall a particular color. Our eyes perceive different wavelengths of light,
thus this narrow band of light is known as ROYGBIV. Red has the longest wavelength and the
lowest frequency. Violet has the shortest wavelength and the highest frequency. Since violet has
the highest frequency, it carries the greatest amount of energy.

Ultraviolet radiation has waves with shorter wavelengths tha niolet light. Thus it vibrates more
rapidly and carry more energy than visible light. The sun emits ultraviolet radiation that carries
enough energy to damage living cells. Exposure to these waves for a lonf period of time may lead to
skin cancer or early aging of the skin.

X-rays are electromagnetic waves with wavelengths shorter than those of ultraviolet rays but
higher frequency so they carry more energy than ultraviolet rays. They can penetrate through
matter. But dense matter like bones and teeth, does not allow x-rays to pass through. Thus x-rays
are used to capture images of bones inside the body.

Gamma rays are the electromagnetic waves with shortest wavelengths but highest frequency.
Radioactive materials and nuclear reactions give off gamma rays. These rays harm living cells but
they can be used to destroy cancer cells.

SOUNDS
SOUND WAVES:

Are longitudinal waves created from a vibrating source

Mechanical waves

It requires a medium

SPEED OF SOUND:

The speed of sound is different in various materials.

Solids-Liquids-Gases

Why sounds travels fastest in solids and slowest in gases?

It is because of the arrangement and spacing of particles in each medium.

Sound waves travel more quickly in solids because the particles in it are closely packed with each other.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOUND WAVES

Pitch

● Refers to the highness or lowness of sound.

● The frequency of a wave dictates the pitch of a sound. The higher the frequency, the higher the
pitch of the sound.

AUDIBLE FREQUENCIES

20 Hz to 20,000 Hz

ULTRASONIC FREQUENCIES

Above 20,000 Hz

INFRASONIC FREQUENCIES

Below 20 Hz

Loudness

● Refers to how soft or how intense the sound is

● Can be determined by the amplitude of the sound waves

HUMAN HEARING RANGE

0 dB - 120 dB

THRESHOLD OF HEARING

O dB

THRESHOLD OF PAIN

120 dB

Considered as a psychological sensation that differs from different people.

Noise is a distorted sound wave that is not pleasing to the senses.

Music is a special sound that forms a pattern and is appealing to our sense of hearing.

Timbre

● Tone quality
● Used in differentiating two different sounds that have the same pitch and loudness.

The tone quality depends on the waveform of the sound wave.

HEAT
LESSON 1 | TEMPERATURE AND HEAT

All forms of matter are made of atoms and molecules. These atoms and molecules are always in motion
and they have kinetic energy.

THERMAL ENERGY

Refers to the energy possessed by an object or system due to the movement of particles within the
object or the system.

HEAT

The energy that is transferred from a body with higher temperature to a body with a lower temperature.

The total energy of the motion of the molecules of a substance.

SI unit: Joules

Heat always flow from warmer to cooler materials.

TEMPERATURE

Refers to the relative hotness or coldness of an object.

Measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a material.

Can be measured using a thermometer.

Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin

SI Unit: Kelvin

HEAT TRANSFER

The process wherein thermal energy is exchanged between objects due to their temperature difference.

CONDUCTION

Most effective in solids

Movement of heat from particle to another particle through direct contact.

CONDUCTORS

- Materials that allow thermal energy to readily flow through them.

- Silver, copper, steel, and aluminum

INSULATORS
 - Materials that transfer heat poorly
- Plastic, rubber, or wood

CONVECTION

Most effective in fluids

FLUIDS

- Materials that flow

Method of heat transfer through the circulation of liquid and gas

Transfer of energy by the rising or sinking of matter due to density differences.

RADIATION

Heat moves through empty space (outer space)

Act through a distance

Transfers og heat by mans of electromagnetic waves