5 Characteristics of Light
Section 1
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
electromagnetic wave: a wave that consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields, which radiate
outward from the source the speed of light.
electromagnetic wave: a wave that consist of electric and magnetic field that vibrate at right angles to each
other.
NOTE:
✓ Sound and water kinds of mechanical wave that need matters to through.
✓ But light doesn’t require matter through that can pass every place.
✓ The transfer of energy as EW is called radiation.
• An electric field surrounds every • A magnetic field surround every
charged object. magnet
• When the particle vibrates or moves, . • By electric filed magnetic field is
also the electric filed around it created.
vibrate.
frequency (f): the number of oscillations (vibrations) the wave covers per unit time.
𝟏 𝑓: is number of vibration/ time
𝑻=
𝒇 interval and it’s measured in Hz
Q/ A wave with a period of(0.4 s ) what is Q/ A wave with a frequency of (20 Hz), what is
its frequency? its period?
• Light is described as particles (photons) or waves of both, it has dual property.
Wave length λ: The distance covered by a wave in one period of time measured in meters (m).
The relationship between frequency, wavelength is:
Speed of electromagnetic waves
➢ All forms of electromagnetic radiation travel at a speed of light.
➢ The value of this speed is 3x108 m/s.
Note:
✓ Electromagnetic waves vary depending on frequency and wavelength.
✓ Light is a wave composed of oscillating electric and magnetic fields.
✓ The electric and magnetic fields are also at right angles to each other.
✓ Therefore, electromagnetic waves are transverse waves.
Waves have moving crests (or peaks) and troughs. A crest is the highest point the medium rises to a trough
is the lowest point the medium sinks to. Crests and troughs on a transverse wave.
Amplitude (A): is the maximum displacement from equilibrium position. The unite is (m)
✓ Each electromagnetic are distinguished by their different frequency and wavelength.
When white light passes
through a prism make a
rainbow of colors is called.
spectrum.
Q1/ Which type of electromagnetic waves has the shortest frequency and the longest wavelength?
Ans:
Q2/ Which type of electromagnetic waves has the largest frequency and the shortest wavelength?
Ans:
PRACTICE 5A P.112 Electromagnetic Waves
1. Gamma-ray bursters are objects in the universe that emit pulses of gamma rays with high energies.
The frequency of the most energetic bursts has been measured at around 3.0 1021 Hz. What is the
wave- length of these gamma rays?
Ans:
2. What is the wavelength range for the FM radio band (88 MHz–108 MHz)?
Ans:
3. Shortwave radio is broadcast between 3.50 and 29.7 MHz to what range of wavelengths does
this correspond? Why do you suppose this part of the spectrum is called shortwave radio?
Ans:
4. What is the frequency of an electromagnetic wave if it has a wavelength of 1.0 km?
5. The portion of the visible spectrum that appears brightest to the human eye is around 560 nm in
wavelength, which corresponds to yellow-green. What is the frequency of 560 nm light?
Ans:
6. What is the frequency of highly energetic ultraviolet radiation that has a wavelength of 125 nm?
Ans:
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➢ Huygens' principle: can be used to
derive the properties of any wave
(including light) that interacts with matter. Tangent line
(new wave front)
➢ Waves can be approximated as rays.
➢ According to Huygens’ principle, a wave front
can be divided into point sources. The line
tangent to the wavelets from these sources
marks the wave front’s new position.
Initial wave front
➢ Illuminance decreases as the square of the distance from the source.
Q// The intensity of light depends on what?
Ans: The intensity of light depends on both the:
1. Amount of light energy emitted from a source. [Link] from the light source.
Section Review 5-1 p.113
Q1/ Identify which portions of the electromagnetic spectrum are used in each of the devices
listed.
a. a microwave oven. Ans:
b. a television set. Ans:
c. a single-lens reflex camera. Ans:
d. radar. Ans:
e. medical examination of bones. Ans:
Q2/ If an electromagnetic wave has a frequency of 7.57 1014 Hz, what is its wavelength? To what part
of the spectrum does this wave belong?
Ans:
5 Flat Mirrors.
Section 2
REFLECTION OF LIGHT
Reflection of light is the change in direction of an electromagnetic wave at surface that causes it to move
away from the surface. OR when light bounces of an object is called reflection.
Note:
All substances absorb at least some incoming light.
A good mirror can reflect about 90% of the incident light.
No surface is perfect 100% reflector.
The texture of a surface affects how it reflects light.
• Light that is reflected from a rough, textured surface, such as paper, cloth, or unpolished wood, is
reflected in many different directions, as
shown in Figure 6(a). This type of reflection is called diffuse reflection.
• Light reflected from smooth, shiny surfaces, such as a mirror water in a pond, is reflected in one
direction only, as shown in Figure 6(b). This type of reflection is called specular reflection.
Incoming and reflected angles are equal You probably have noticed that when incoming rays of light strike
a smooth reflecting surface, such as a polished table or mirror, at an angle close to the surface, the reflected
rays are also close to the surface. When the incoming rays are high above the reflecting surface, the reflected
rays are also high above the surface.
Careful measurements of the incident and reflected angles 𝜃 and 𝜃′, respectively, reveal that the angles are
equal.
Reflection of light is the change in direction of an electromagnetic wave at surface that causes it move away
from the surface.
Angle of incidence (𝜃) : the angle between the incident ray and the line perpendicular to that surface at the
point of incidence.
Angle of reflection (𝜃′): the angle formed between by the reflected ray and the normal to the
reflecting surface at the point of incidence.
𝜽 = 𝜽′
Angle of incoming light ray = Angle of reflected light ray
The angle between the incoming ray and the surface equals 90° − 𝜃, and the angle between the reflected
ray and the surface equals 90° − 𝜃′.
Q/ What is the difference between diffuse reflection and specular reflection?
No Diffuse reflection Specular reflection
1 Diffuse reflection light is reflected in many Specular reflection light is reflected in the same
direction forward direction only
Light that is reflected from a rough textured Light reflected from smooth, shiny surface such as
2 surface such as paper, cloth, unpolished object mirror or water in a pond
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FLAT mirrors:
Flat mirror: from virtual image that are the same distance from the mirror’s surface as the object is.
Q// What are the characteristics of the image given in a flat mirror of a candle that is placed in front of it?
Answer:
1. The object distance from the mirror, which is represented as(p), and the image distance, which is
represented as(q), is such that the object and image distances are equal.
2. The image of the object is the same size as the object.
3. A flat mirror always forms a virtual image (not real).
4. A virtual image can never be displayed on a physical surface.
5. The image formed by a flat mirror appears reversed to an observer in front of the mirror. (You can easily
observe this effect by placing a piece of writing in front of a mirror, as shown in Figure 9. In the mirror,
each of the letters is reversed).
➢ Virtual image: an image that forms at a point from which light rays appear to come but do not
actually come.
➢ Parallel mirrors: When two mirrors are parallels to each other means angle between two mirrors
equal to zero, we can get an infinite number of images.
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Section Review 5-2 p.119
1. Which of the following are examples of specular reflection, and which
are examples of diffuse reflection?
a. reflection of light from the surface of a lake on a calm day. Ans:
b. reflection of light from a plastic trash bag. Ans:
c. reflection of light from the lens of eyeglasses. Ans:
d. reflection of light from a carpet. Ans:
2. Suppose you are holding a flat mirror and standing at the center of a
giant clock face built into the floor. Someone standing at 12 o’clock
shines a beam of light toward you, and you want to use the mirror
to reflect the beam toward an observer standing at 5 o’clock. What
should the angle of incidence be to achieve this? What should the
angle of reflection be?
Ans:
3. Some department-store windows are slanted inward at the bottom. This is to decrease the glare
from brightly illuminated buildings across the street, which would make it difficult for shoppers to
see the display inside and near the bottom of the window. Sketch a light ray reflecting from such a
window to show how this technique works.
Ans:
5 Spherical Mirrors.
Section 3
CONCAVE SPHERICAL MIRRORS
There are two types of curved (spherical) mirrors:
➢ Concave spherical mirrors.
➢ Convex spherical mirrors.
Concave spherical mirror: is like a
Convex spherical mirror: is a rounded
bowl-shaped mirror. It curves inward,
mirror that curves outward. It reflects
bringing light together at a focal point.
light in a way that makes objects appear
This makes things look bigger or more
smaller or wider, depending on their
focused, depending on how far they
distance.
are from the mirror.
Mirror Formulas:
f : is the focal length.
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
= + R: is the radius of the curvature.
𝒇 𝒒 𝒑
M: Magnification.
𝟐 𝟏 𝟏 p: is the object distance from the mirror.
= +
𝑹 𝒒 𝒑 q / is the image distance from the mirror
h: is the object height.
𝒒
𝑴=− h' : is the image height.
𝒑
C: is the center of the curvature.
,
𝒉
𝑴=
𝒉 Note: All of them are measured in meter(m)
except M which is unitless.
R = 2f
Important Notes:
Signs determined by specific
cases or conditions.
Virtual Image Real Image
Convex Concave
q - + R + -
h' + - f + -
M + -
P & h are always Positive ( + )
Magnification (M): is equal to the negative of the ratio of the image distance to the object distance.
𝐼𝑓 ℎ′ < ℎ → 𝑀<1
➢ M >1 Image is larger than the object.
➢ M<1 Image is smaller than the object. 𝐼𝑓 ℎ′ > ℎ → 𝑀>1
➢ M=1 Image size = object size. Example: In flat mirrors.
Rules for Drawing Reference Rays
in Concave Mirrors
1 2
Principal axis
Principal axis
Principal axis
Sample Problem 5B , Page 126
A concave spherical mirror has a focal length of 10.0 cm. Locate the image of a pencil that is placed
upright 30.0 cm from the mirror. Find the magnification of the image. Draw a ray diagram to confirm
your answer.
Ans:
Practice 5B Page 127
[Link] the image distance and magnification of the mirror in the sample problem when the object
distances are 10.0 cm and 5.00 cm. Are the images real or virtual? Are the images inverted or upright?
Draw a ray diagram for each case to confirm your results.
Ans:
2. A concave shaving mirror has a focal length of 33 cm. Calculate the image position of a cologne bottle
placed in front of the mirror at a distance of 93 cm. Calculate the magnification of the image. Is the image
real or virtual? Is the image inverted or upright? Draw a ray diagram to show where the image forms and
how large it is with respect to the object.
Ans:
3.A concave makeup mirror is designed so that a person 25.0 cm in front of it sees an upright image at
a distance of 50.0 cm behind the mirror. What is the radius of curvature of the mirror? What is the
magnification of the image? Is the image real or virtual?
4.A pen placed 11.0 cm from a concave spherical mirror produces a real image 13.2 cm from the
mirror. What is the focal length of the mirror? What is the magnification of the image? If the pen is
placed 27.0 cm from the mirror, what is the new position of the image? What is the magnification of
the new image? Is the new image real or virtual? Draw ray diagrams to confirm your results.
Ans:
Convex Spherical Mirrors
Convex spherical mirror: is a rounded mirror that curves outward. It reflects light in a way that makes
objects appear smaller or wider, depending on their distance.
Sample Problem 5B , Page 130
An upright pencil is placed in front of a convex spherical mirror with a focal length of 8.00 cm. An erect
image 2.50 cm tall is formed 4.44 cm behind the mirror. Find the position of the object, the magnification
of the image, and the height of the pencil.
Ans:
Practice 5C Page 131
[Link] image of a crayon appears to be 23.0 cm behind the surface of a con- vex mirror and is 1.70 cm
tall. If the mirror’s focal length is 46.0 cm, how far in front of the mirror is the crayon positioned? What
is the magnification of the image? Is the image virtual or real? Is the image inverted or upright? How
tall is the actual crayon?
Ans:
2.A convex mirror with a focal length of 0.25 m forms a 0.080 m tall image of an automobile at a distance
of 0.24 m behind the mirror. What is the magnification of the image? Where is the car located, and what
is its height? Is the image real or virtual? Is the image upright or inverted?
Ans:
3.A convex mirror of focal length 33 cm forms an image of a soda bottle at a distance of 19 cm behind
the mirror. If the height of the image is 7.0 cm, where is the object located, and how tall is it? What is
the magnification of the image? Is the image virtual or real? Is the image inverted or upright? Draw a
ray diagram to confirm your results.
Ans:
4.A convex mirror with a radius of curvature of 0.550 m is placed above the aisles in a store. Determine
the image distance and magnification of a customer lying on the floor 3.1 m below the mirror. Is the
image virtual or real? Is the image inverted or upright?
Ans:
5. A spherical glass ornament is 6.00 cm in diameter. If an object is placed 10.5 cm away from the
ornament, where will its image form? What is magnification? Is the image virtual or real? Is the image
inverted or upright?
Ans:
6.A candle is 49 cm in front of a convex spherical mirror that has a focal length of 35 cm. What are the
image distance and magnification? Is the image virtual or real? Is the image inverted or upright? Draw
a ray diagram to confirm your results.
Ans:
PARABOLIC MIRRORS
You have probably noticed that certain rays in ray diagrams do not intersect exactly at the image point.
This occurs especially with rays that reflect at the mirror’s surface far from the principal axis. The
situation also occurs with real light rays and real spherical mirrors.
The parabolic objective mirror in a Cassegrain
reflector focuses incoming light.
Section Review 5-3
[Link] ball bearing with a radius of 1.5 cm forms an image of an object that has been placed 1. cm
away from the bearing's surface. Determine the image distance and magnification. Is the image virtual
or real? Is the image inverted or upright? Draw a ray diagram to confirm your results.
[Link] mirror is to be used in amotion-picture projector to form an inverted, real image 95 times
as tall as the picture in a single frame of film. The image is projected onto a screen 13 m from the
mirror. What type of mirror is required, and how far should it be from the film?
[Link] of the following images are real and which are virtual?
a. the image of a distant illuminated building projected onto a piece of heavy, white carboard by a small
reflecting telescope.
b. the image of an automobile in a flat rearview mirror
c. the image of shop aisles in a convex observation mirror
Chapter 5
Review and Assess