speed of light in a vacuum c = 3.0×108ms−1
Intermediate level
1 a State two common properties of all the waves in the electromagnetic spectrum. [2]
b State one main difference between X-rays and sound waves. [1]
2 Complete the table below, naming the electromagnetic radiation with each specified
wavelength. [3]
Name of radiation
3 A television remote control emits infrared radiation of wavelength 8.5×10−7m. Calculate:
a the frequency of this infrared radiation [2]
b the distance travelled by the infrared radiation in a time of 0.20s. [2]
4 Explain what is meant by plane polarised light. [1]
5 Visible light and microwaves can be polarised. What can be deduced about the nature of
these two waves? [1]
6 Two types of ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth’s surface are UV-A and UV-B.
a What does UV-A do to our skin? [1]
b State one advantage and one disadvantage of exposure to UV-B. [2]
Higher level
7 a Give typical values for the wavelength of X-rays and of g-rays. [2]
b Use your values in a to determine the ratio:
ratio = [2]
8 Astronomers detect intense electromagnetic radiation of frequency 300GHz coming from all directions of the sky as evidence of the Big Bang. Determine the wavelength of this radiation,
and hence name the region of the electromagnetic spectrum where this radiation may be
detected. [3]
9 Describe how you can show that reflected light from a shiny surface such as glass is (partially) polarised. [2]
10 a State Malus’s law. [1]
b Vertically polarised light is incident on a polaroid whose axis is at 30° to the vertical. Theincident intensity of light is 0.48Wm−2. Calculate the intensity of the transmitted light through the polaroid. [3]
COAS Physics 1 Teacher Resources Original material © Cambridge University Press 2005, 2008 2
16 Worksheet
Extension
11 Our modern society relies heavily on communication using radio waves. Radio waves generated by a transmitter have to propagate through the atmosphere, and sometimes empty space, in order to reach the receiver. Depending on their frequency, there are three modes (methods) by which they reach their destination: as surface waves, sky waves or space waves.
Use the internet to find the frequencies and some of the characteristics of these waves.
Total: Score: %
COAS Physics 1 Teacher Resources Original material © Cambridge University Press 2005, 2008 2