A ray is a straight line drawn to represent the direction that a light wave travels.

The normal is an imaginary line drawn at 90° to a surface.

Wavefronts are lines drawn to represent peaks of a wave.

Reflection of light

Combined science

Refraction through a rectangular block (including wave front diagrams)

Dispersion of light and electromagnetic radiation

Absorbing infrared radiation practical

Emitting infrared radiation

Ionising electromagnetic radiation

Non-ionising electromagnetic radiations

In A-level physics, some pupils will build on this knowledge to learn about the photon model of electromagnetic radiation and the use of electromagnetic radiation for collecting evidence about the universe or for generating images of the inside of a human body.

In the Measuring waves unit, pupils learnt about the measurable features of a wave, the relationship between them and the wave equation.

This unit explores reflection, refraction, and lenses using ray diagrams. It covers the electromagnetic spectrum, light as a wave, absorption, transmission, and practical uses. Emphasis is on risks, temperature balance, data presentation, and unit conversions.

Electromagnetic waves

Refraction occurs when waves travel from one transparent medium to another, causing a change in wave speed and direction.

The angle of incidence is the angle between the incident ray and the normal.

The angle of refraction is the angle between the refracted ray and the normal.

Wavefronts are lines drawn to represent the peaks of a wave.

Electromagnetic waves are oscillations/ripples in electric and magnetic fields.

The frequency of a wave gives the number of oscillations that occur per second.

A spectrum is a continuous range or scale.

Refraction is when waves enter a new material and change direction.

Anything that is emitted (given out) from a system and transfers energy away from that system can be called radiation.

Absorption is when an electromagnetic wave is incident on a surface and transfers some or all of its energy to that surface.

Infrared radiation means electromagnetic waves with frequencies in a range just lower than for red light.

Electromagnetic waves are oscillations (ripples) in electric and magnetic fields.

The frequency of a wave is the number of oscillations that occur each second.

Control variables are variables that must remain the same throughout an investigation.

To emit infrared radiation is to give out infrared radiation.

The temperature of an object measures how hot or cold it is.

A Leslie cube is a hollow metal cube that can be filled with hot water. Each side has a different colour and finish so emits different intensities of infrared radiation.

Electromagnetic waves transfer energy because stores of energy decrease when they are emitted and increase when they are absorbed.

Ionisation is the process of an atom losing or gaining electrons so become charged/becoming an ion.

Ultraviolet means EM radiation with frequencies greater than visible light but lower than X–rays.

X-rays are EM radiation with frequencies greater than ultraviolet but lower than gamma rays.

Gamma rays are the highest frequency electromagnetic waves.

The frequency of a wave means the number of oscillations occurring per second, which is the same as the number of waves arriving per second.

Radio waves, microwaves, infrared and visible light are non–ionising electromagnetic waves, as they cannot remove electrons from atoms.

Any process that transfers energy because of a temperature difference, or causes a temperature rise, can be called heating.

Oscillations are the vibrations of a wave about a rest position.

An antenna is a metal structure designed to emit or absorb electromagnetic waves.

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Electromagnetic waves

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