Lessons › Unit 3
Waves and Optics
How waves behave, from sound and standing waves to light, lenses and interference. 20 lessons.
3.1 Wave Phenomena
3.1.1Wave TypesDistinguish transverse and longitudinal waves.3.1.2SuperpositionState the principle of superposition.3.1.3InterferenceExplain path difference and phase difference.3.1.4Inverse Square LawExplain why wave intensity falls with the square of distance.3.1.5ModulationExplain what modulation is and why it is used.
3.2 Sound
3.2.1BeatsExplain how beats form from two close frequencies.3.2.2Doppler EffectExplain why observed frequency changes with relative motion.3.2.3ResonanceDefine natural frequency and resonance.3.2.4Standing WavesExplain how standing waves form.
3.3 Physical Optics
3.3.1Light: A HistoryCompare the wave and particle models of light.3.3.2Double Slit DiffractionDescribe the double-slit experiment and the pattern it produces.3.3.3Light: Its SpeedDescribe historical methods for measuring the speed of light.3.3.4Light as EMRDescribe light as an electromagnetic wave.3.3.5PolarisationExplain what polarisation is.3.3.6SpectroscopyDistinguish continuous, emission and absorption spectra.3.3.7ScatteringExplain the scattering of light by particles.