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Sound Waves
Sound waves are produced by vibrations. Vibrating musical instruments are examples of sources
of sound waves.
When air is removed from the jar, there are no particles left to transfer sound energy. Thus, no
sound can be heard.
Sound waves propagate through a medium. Sound waves cannot propagate through a vacuum-
Sound waves can travel through solids, liquids and gases.
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A tuning fork produces sound waves.
The tuning fork has two prongs. When the prongs move to the right they compress air particles
together.
This disturbance is then transmitted from one particle to the next particle through the air, with the
result of a pulse of compression moving outwards.
A reverse movement of the prongs give rise to the pulse of rarefaction of the air.
Sound waves are longitudinal waves. The wave particles oscillate in the direction parallel to the
direction of propagation of the waves.
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Wavelength is measured from one compression to the next compression or from one rarefaction to
the next rarefaction.
Turn the knob to increase the volume,
What can you say about the frequency of the waves produced?
The waves displayed on the oscilloscope screen shows the same frequency even though the
loudness of the sound is changed.
What can you say about the amplitude of the waves produced?
As the loudness of the sound increases, the amplitude of the waves also increases.
The oscillation of air particles Is bigger far louder sounds. This causes the amplitude of the
waveform to be larger.
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What can you say about the amplitude of the waves produced?
The waves displayed on the oscilloscope screen shows the same amplitude even though the pitch
of the sound is changed.
What can you say about the frequency of the waves produced?
As the pitch of the sound increases, the frequency of the waves increases too.
LESSON 12
Reflection of Sound Waves
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The Law of Reflection states that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
Compare the wavelength, the frequency and the speed of the sound wave before and after
reflection.
A reflected sound wave is called an echo.
When you shout in front of a wall from a distance, you will hear an echo a few seconds later.
For example:
The time between the source and its echo is 2 x 10−1 s
2 x 10-1
So, the time between the source and the wall = s
2
= 1 x 10−1 s
The distance of the sound in air can be calculated by using
Distance = speed of sound in air x time
= 330 ms1 x 1 x 10-1
= 33 m
Thus ships use echoes to find the depth of the sea beneath them.
High frequency sound waves, also known as ultrasound are used instead of using sounds in the
audible range. The system that uses echoes to detect depth is known as sonar
ultrasound. Sound with a frequency greater than 20 000 Hz, approximately the upper
limit of human hearing.
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Sonar - A system using transmitted and reflected underwater sound waves
to detect and locate submerged objects or measure the distance to the floor of a body of water.
Why are ultrasonic waves used instead of sound waves in the audible range?
Ultrasonic waves are used instead of sound waves in the audible range because they can be
emitted as narrow beams and do not spread out as much as the audible sounds.
Furthermore, water absorbs less energy from ultrasounds and stronger echoes are produced.
If the echo is detected after 0.4 seconds and the speed of sound in water is 1500 m s -1, calculate
the depth of the sea bed.
The time between the pulse and its echo is 0.4 s.
0.4
So, the time between the source and the sea bed = = 0.2 s
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Sound waves can be used in a similar way to "see" things. After turning on a sound source, the
pattern of reflected sound waves that are bounced back can be seen.
In hospitals, ultrasounds are used to monitor the condition of a fetus in the womb. Ultrasonic
waves are emitted by a probe.
These waves are then reflected back to the probe from differentsurfaces within the womb. The
image is then seen on the screen.
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Bats emit ultrasounds and then listen for echoes. Their brains process these returning signals so
that they can navigate around objects as well as hunt for prey.
The pulse of a premature infant may be very difficult to detect with a stethoscope since the sound
produced is extremely faint.
The ultrasonic echo from the moving blood can be mixed with the source frequency to produce a
beat frequency.
LESSON 13
Analysing Electromagnetic Waves
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The electromagnetic spectrum is a family of continuous waves varying in wavelength and
frequency. As the wavelength increases the frequencies of the waves decrease.
The electromagnetic spectrum consists of radio waves/ microwaves,infra-red, visible light,
ultraviolet X-rays and gamma rays.
Radio waves have the longest wavelength whereas gamma rays have the shortest wavelength.
Visible light is a part of the electromagnetic spectrum. We can see these waves as the colours of
rainbow. Red has the longest wavelength and violet has the shortest wavelength .
Radio waves have the longest wavelength (ranging from 10 5 m to 10-1 m) and the lowest frequency
(ranging from 103 - 109 Hz) in the electromagnetic spectrum.
For broadcasting, among the frequencies normally used are:
i) Long Wave (LW) or Low Frequency (LF)
ii) Medium Wave (MW) or Medium frequency (MF)
iii) Short Wave (SW) or High Frequency (HF)
iv) Very high-frequency (VHF)
v) Ultra high-frequency (UHF)
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This is a satellite image of sea ice breaking off the shores Alaska.
The satellite uses microwaves. Why?
Microwaves can penetrate haze, light rain and snow; therefore these waves are good for viewing
the Earth from space.
MICROWAVES
Wavelength :10-1 to 10-3 m
Frequency:109 - 1011 Hz
Do you know how microwaves are produced?
The waves are produced by the oscillation of electric current in special valves.
Microwaves are used for satellite communication and also for microwave cooking-
INFRARED
Wavelength : 10-3 to 10-6 m
Frequency ; 1011 to 1015 Hz
Most infrared waves are thermal. Infrared radiation can be produced by sunlight, fire or any body
that generates heat.
Infrared is used in remote controls for televisions and video recorders.
Physiotherapists use heat lamps in reflexology to help heal and relax muscle injuries.
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VISIBLE LIGHT
Wavelength: 10-6 – 10-7 m
Frequency : 1014 – 1016 Hz
Red has the longest wavelength and violet has the shortest wavelength.
Red has the lowest frequency while violet has the highest frequency.
Violet has the highest energy making it most difficult to diffract
During the day, the sky looks blue because at that instant the blue colour is diffracted the most.
So, we see blue sky,
As the red colour has the highest wavelength, it can still be seen after thesun has set into the
horizon.
Red has the lowest energy thus, it is easily diffracted and spread over the horizon
A fluorescent lamp Is used to identify fake money. There are ultra violet rays in the fluorescent
lamp,
Do you know how ultraviolet rays are produced?
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Ultraviolet radiation may be produced by any thermal radiation of a source because of its
temperature. The sun and an ultraviolet lamp are convenient sources of ultraviolet radiation.
ULTRAVIOLET RAYS
Wavelength : 10-7 to 10-8 m
Frequency : 1015 to 1017 Hz
Ultraviolet radiation can make a cloth glow in the dark. The glow is caused by the presence of
fluorescent dyes from washing powders which absorb ultraviolet radiation and then emit light
X-RAYS
Wavelength : 108 to 10-11 m
Frequency: 10 to 1020 Hz
X-rays are very high frequency waves and carry a lot of energy. They will
penetrate most substances, and this makes them useful in medicine and
industry to see inside things.
In nature, the sun gives off X-rays. X-rays can also be produced in the lab. An X-ray machine/
works by firing a beam of high velocity electrons at an anode. When electrons with enough energy,
hit the anode, X-rays will be produced.
GAMMA RAYS
Wavelength : 10-11 to 10-16 m
Frequency: 1020 to 1024 Hz
The patient was given a slight radioactive gas to breathe, and the picture was taken using a
gamma camera to detect the radiation.
How are gamma rays generated?
Gamma rays are emitted from nuclear reactions, atomic bombs and explosions on the sun and
other stars.
LESSON 14
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• Describe the applications of electromagnetic waves
• Describe the detrimental effects of excessive exposure to certain components of the
electromagnetic spectrum.
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The electromagnetic spectrum consists of electromagnetic waves of different frequencies and
wavelengths.
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Higher frequencies of radio waves are necessary to provide enough
energy where more information can be carried.
Radio waves are used as the carrier wave widely used in
broadcasting and communication.
What are the bad effects of excessive exposure to radio waves?
Excessive exposure to radio waves such as those emitted by the
radio wave transmitters and power lines may cause leukaemia and
cancer.
Telephone signals are also said to inhibit the melatonin hormone
and can cause insomnia, headaches, nausea and vertigo/ ear ache
and tinnitus, frequent nosebleeds and raised white blood cell count,
Microwaves
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microwave ovens is decreased when food molecules are rotated by
microwaves to generate heat
Infrared waves
The surfaces of all bodies emit infrared radiation in a continuous range of wavelength.
The hotter the object is/ the greater the energy per second is carried away by infrared radiation.
Visible light
Light is detected by cells in the eye retina. This enables us to see things.
Visible light con also be detected chemically with photographic filmand electronically by using
semiconductors.
The high frequency of light makes it ideal for transmitting information,
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An optical fibre communication system can carry telephone conversations, internet links and video
conferencing signals.
Bundles of optical fibres are used to carry images back from previously inaccessible places,
especially inside the human body using an endoscope.
Chlorophyll in green plants absorbs most of the violet, blue, orange and red light that falls on them
and uses the energy for photosynthesis.
Excessive exposure to sunlight can lead to adverse health effects, such as the pain of sunburn,
headache, lumbago, insomnia, leukaemia or skin cancer.
Thus, one should not focus directly at high intensity light sources such as welding sparks or the
sun.
Ultraviolet rays
An ultraviolet lamp should never be viewed directly as ultraviolet ray is harmful to the eyes.
X-rays
X-rays are generated by the rapid deceleration of high speed electrons projected against a metal
target.
X-rays have high kinetic energy, thus the penetrating power of X- rays are also high.
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Gamma rays kill microorganisms in fruits
Gamma rays are produced by excited nuclei releasing energy during radioactive decay-
Gamma rays have very high energy and penetration power.
Gamma rays are used ta trace the flow of fluids, to kill cancer cells and microorganisms in food-
They can also be used to sterilise medical equipments.
Gamma rays are destructive to living cells.
As they are used to kill cells of organisms, normal exposure togamma rays can also damage the
cells.
Excessive exposure to gamma rays can cause genetic mutations especially in reproductive cells.
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