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Unit 4: Wave Models and Quantum Physics
Quick questions on The electromagnetic spectrum: WACE Year 12 Physics Unit 4
4short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What are one family of waves?Show answer
Every electromagnetic wave is a self-propagating disturbance of electric and magnetic fields oscillating at right angles to each other and to the direction of travel. They need no medium and all travel at the same speed in a vacuum. What distinguishes radio from gamma rays is only their frequency and wavelength, not their fundamental nature.
What is the wave equation?Show answer
so frequency and wavelength are inversely related at fixed speed. A higher frequency means a shorter wavelength. This single relationship lets you convert between the two anywhere in the spectrum.
What are ordering the regions?Show answer
From lowest frequency (longest wavelength) to highest frequency (shortest wavelength) the regions are radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays. Visible light spans roughly (violet) to (red). Each region is produced and detected differently: radio waves by oscillating circuits, infrared by warm objects, X-rays by rapidly decelerating electrons, and gamma rays by nuclear processes.
What is photon energy across the spectrum?Show answer
Treating light as photons, each carries energy
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