Waves, Sound, and Light Flashcards
7 cards from real BMST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Waves, Sound, and Light flashcards as text
The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately:
Answer: 3 × 10⁸ m/s
The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 3 × 10⁸ meters per second (about 300,000 km/s).
A sound source moves toward a stationary observer. The observer will hear a sound with:
Answer: Higher frequency than emitted
When a source moves toward an observer, the Doppler effect causes the observed frequency to be higher than the emitted frequency.
Which color of visible light has the shortest wavelength?
Answer: Violet
Violet light has the shortest wavelength in the visible spectrum, around 380–450 nm.
Longitudinal waves differ from transverse waves in that the medium particles move:
Answer: Parallel to the direction of wave travel
In longitudinal waves, particles of the medium vibrate parallel to the direction the wave travels, creating compressions and rarefactions.
When two waves interfere destructively, the resulting amplitude is:
Answer: Reduced or zero
Destructive interference occurs when crests align with troughs, partially or fully canceling each other to reduce the amplitude.
A material that allows light to pass through but scatters it so objects appear blurry is called:
Answer: Translucent
Translucent materials transmit light but scatter it, making objects behind them appear blurry or indistinct.
Which of the following best explains why the sky appears blue?
Answer: Blue light is scattered more by atmospheric particles due to its shorter wavelength
Rayleigh scattering causes shorter-wavelength blue light to scatter more in all directions through the atmosphere, making the sky appear blue.