Name: _____________________________________________________ Date Due: _________________ Period: ___________
Colors and Pigments
1. What are the primary colors?
red, green, blue
2. What are the secondary colors? Which primary colors combine to form each?
cyan (blue+green), yellow (red+green), magenta (red+blue)
3. What are the primary pigments?
cyan, yellow, magenta
4. What are the secondary pigments? Which primary pigments combine to form each?
red (magenta+yellow), green (cyan+yellow), blue (magenta+cyan)
5. What are the complementary colors of each of the following?
a. Red  cyan
b. Blue  yellow
c. Green  magenta
6. What color is seen if you mix two complementary colors?
white
7. What does it mean if we look at an object and it appears black (under a white light)?
all colors are absorbed
8. What does it mean if we look at an object and it appears blue under magenta light?
red is being absorbed and blue is being reflected
Speed of Light/Electromagnetic Spectrum
9. What is the speed of light in a vacuum?
3.00 x 108 m/s
10. Rank each of the following types of EM radiation in order of largest wavelength (1) to smallest
wavelength (7).
_________a. X-rays 6
_________e. Gamma Rays 7
_________b. Radio waves 1
_________f. Ultraviolet waves 5
_________c. Infrared waves 3
_________g. Microwaves 2
_________d. Visible light 4
11. How would your answers be different for #10 if you were asked to rank from highest frequency
to lowest frequency?
the rankings would be reversed
12. How would your answers be different for #10 if you were asked to rank from lowest energy to
highest energy?
the rankings would be the same
13. Rank each of the following situations from fastest speed (1) to slowest speed (8). If there it is not
possible, mark it as 8.
_________a. Light in a solid 4
_________e. Light in a liquid 3
_________b. Light in a vacuum 1
_________f. Sound in a solid 5
_________c. Sound in a liquid 6
_________g. Light in a gas 2
_________d. Sound in a gas 7
_________h. Sound in a vacuum 8
Ch. 16 & 19 Study Guide
14. Convert the following numbers to the correct SI unit (use scientific notation):
a. d = 56 million km  5.6 x 1010m
d. f = 104.1 MHz  1.041 x 108 Hz
15
b. d = 1 light-year  9 x 10 m
e. f = 2.4 GHz  2.4 x 109 Hz
c. d = 720 nm  7.2 x 10-7 m
15. A laser is emitting a beam of red light
with a wavelength of 653 nm. What is the
frequency of this laser light?
f = 4.59 x 1014 Hz
16. An X-ray machine emits a wave with a
frequency around 3.0x1016 Hz. What is
the wavelength of this x-ray?
1.0 x 10-8 m
Interference of Light
17. If you have two identical polarization filters, how would you arrange them to block out the
following amounts of light (you may use drawings to explain):
a. Very little light is blocked 
parallel (0o)
b. Moderate amounts of light are blocked 
half way between parallel and perpendicular (45o)
c. Nearly all light is blocked 
perpendicular (90o)
18. In thin-film interference, white light is partially reflected of the front surface of the film and the
remaining light travels into the film. Describe what happens to the light that enters the film and
be sure to explain why certain colors are seen on certain parts of the film.
Light is reflected off both surfaces of the film. As a result, the different colors CONSTRUCTIVELY
interfere.
19. What would an astronomer expect to see when looking at the spectral lines of a galaxy that is
approaching?
the spectral lines would be shifted toward the higher frequency, shorter wavelength blue light
20. How would the answer for #19 be different if the galaxy were moving away?
the spectral lines would be shifted toward the lower frequency, longer wavelength red light