Name ___________________________________
PS.8 Sound/PS.9 Light Study Guide
1. What type of energy is a sound wave? mechanical energy
2. Identify the parts of the compression wave labeled below:
a) wavelength
b) compression
c) rarefaction
3. Draw a transverse wave and label the crest, trough, wavelength, and amplitude.
4. Draw a high frequency transverse wave and a low frequency transverse wave:
5. Draw a high amplitude transverse wave and a low amplitude transverse wave:
6. Define the following terms:
a. Frequency: the number of wavelengths that pass a fixed point in one second.
The unit for frequency is Hertz (Hz).
b. Amplitude: A measure of the amount of energy contained in a wave. For light
waves, amplitude is known as “brightness” of a light. For sound waves,
amplitude is known as “volume” of a sound.
In a transverse wave, amplitude is measured as the height of the wave, or the
distance that the wave vibrates from its resting position.
In a compression wave, amplitude is measured by how much pressure
(squeezing) occurs in each compression area.
c. Wavelength: In a transverse wave: The distance from one wave peak (crest) to
the next wave peak, or the distance from one wave trough to the next wave
trough.
In a compression wave: The distance from one compression to another
compression, or the distance from one rarefaction to another rarefaction
d. Reflection: when light waves (rays) hit an object and bounce back
e. Refraction: when light waves bend, due to the fact that light passes through
different mediums at different speeds.
f. Diffraction: when light waves bend slightly to avoid an obstacle, e.g. light waves
bending around a corner or light waves scattering after passing through a small
opening.
g. Interference: the overlapping of two or more light waves, which causes a
combination of the two light waves.
7. Which travels faster, sound or light? light travels faster than sound
8. When sounds get louder the _____________________ has increased.
a. wavelength
b. amplitude
c. frequency
d. resonance
9. When sounds become higher pitched the ________________________ has increased.
a. wavelength
b. amplitude
c. frequency
d. resonance
10. When a vibrating objects causes another object to vibrate at its natural frequency at
maximum amplitude it is called resonance
11. What medium does sound travel fastest in, solid, liquid, or gas? Sound travels fastest in
solids, because the particles are the closest together.
12. Bats, whales, and dolphins use sound waves and echo to navigate their environment.
What is this application of sound called? Echolocation
13. The change in pitch of a sound as an object moves closer or farther away is a result of the
Doppler Effect
14. In a compression wave, particles vibrate in the same directions as the movement of the
wave.
15. What are two technological applications of sound waves? (answers may vary):
Sonar: using sound waves to map the ocean floor
Ultrasounds: used in medicine to provide imaging, especially for fetuses
16. Light waves with short wavelengths have high frequency.
17. When the frequency of visible light changes, the color is changed.
18. When the amplitude of visible light is increased, the light appears brighter.
19. Label each diagram with the appropriate description using the word bank:
REFLECTION
REFRACTION
DIFFRACTION
INTERFERENCE
INTERFERENCE
DIFFRACTION
REFLECTION
REFRACTION
20. Label the mirrors using the words PLANE, CONVEX, and CONCAVE:
CONCAVE
(curved inward)
CONVEX
(curved outward)
PLANE
(flat)
21. Draw a convex lens and a concave lens in the appropriate boxes.
22. List the 7 types of electromagnetic energy in order from least energy to most energy.
(You could also think of this as longest wavelength to shortest wavelength, or lowest
frequency to highest frequency):
radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays
23. Which electromagnetic wave has the highest frequency? gamma rays
24. Which electromagnetic wave has the lowest frequency? radio waves
25. Which electromagnetic wave can humans see? visible light
26. Which electromagnetic wave is felt as heat? infrared
27. Which electromagnetic wave is used in radar and to heat food? microwaves
28. Which electromagnetic wave is used in tanning beds and also requires people to wear
sunscreen outdoors? ultraviolet