Photo AI
Figure 7 shows a tuning fork - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 5 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 5
Figure 7 shows a tuning fork. When the prongs of the tuning fork are struck, the prongs vibrate in the directions shown by the arrows on Figure 7. Describe how the ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Figure 7 shows a tuning fork - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 5 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
Describe how the vibrating tuning fork causes a sound wave to travel through the air.
Answer
When the prongs of the tuning fork are struck, they begin to vibrate in the same direction as the wave travels. This vibration causes the air particles around the prongs to oscillate, creating areas of compression and rarefaction in the air. As the prongs move outward, they push air particles, causing them to move forward. When they move back, they create a space for other particles to fill in. This cycle continues, allowing sound waves to propagate through the air. The mechanism of wave motion here is longitudinal because the particles of air move parallel to the direction of wave travel.
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Explain, in terms of speed, why the light behaves this way.
Answer
When light crosses from air into glass, it slows down because it travels at different speeds in different media. In air, the speed of light is approximately 3.0 x 10^8 m/s, but in glass, it is reduced to about 2.0 x 10^8 m/s. This change in speed causes the light to bend, a phenomenon known as refraction. The degree of bending also varies with the wavelength of light, leading to the separation of colors, which is why we see the light splitting into the colors of the spectrum.