MCAT optics, sound, and wave concepts explained conceptually, separate from the MCAT physics equations cloze deck.
35 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- What is the frequency of a wave?
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The number of wave cycles that pass a given point per unit time.- What is the wavelength of a wave?
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The distance between two consecutive corresponding points on a wave, such as crest to crest.- What is the amplitude of a wave?
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The maximum displacement of the wave from its equilibrium (rest) position.- What is the period of a wave?
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The time required for one complete wave cycle to pass a point.- What defines a transverse wave?
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The medium oscillates perpendicular to the direction the wave travels.- What defines a longitudinal wave?
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The medium oscillates parallel to the direction the wave travels, creating compressions and rarefactions.- Is sound a transverse or a longitudinal wave?
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Longitudinal.- Is light a transverse or a longitudinal wave?
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Transverse (it is an electromagnetic wave).- Can electromagnetic waves travel through a vacuum?
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Yes, electromagnetic waves do not require a medium.- Can sound waves travel through a vacuum?
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No, sound requires a physical medium to propagate.- In which state of matter does sound travel fastest: gas, liquid, or solid?
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Solid.- What does the law of reflection state?
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The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection, both measured from the normal.- What is refraction?
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The bending of a wave as it passes between media with different propagation speeds.- What does a higher index of refraction indicate about a medium?
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Light travels more slowly through that medium.- When light enters a denser (slower) medium at an angle, which way does it bend relative to the normal?
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Toward the normal.
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