Year 8 2 Light and Sound

Revision Checklist
Numeracy focus: standard form Tick
when
revised
Lesson 1 Define the words luminous, non-luminous, transparent, translucent
and opaque
Know how light rays travel and state what they transfer
Draw a simple ray diagram to show how we see non-luminous ob-
jects
State the speed of light and be able to write this in standard form

Explain why distance is measured in space using light years

Lesson 2 Describe what happens to light when it hits different surfaces e.g.
mirrored, smooth, rough etc
Draw ray diagrams for light when it reflects off a plane mirror

Investigate the relationship between the angle of incidence and the

angle of reflection
Lesson 3 Describe how the speed of light is affected by the medium light is
travelling through
Draw ray diagrams to show how light changes direction when trav-
elling between different mediums (e.g. between a gas and a trans-
parent solid/ liquid)
Explain why light refracts (changes direction when travelling be-
tween different materials)
Lesson 4 State the colours that make up white light

Explain why objects appear the colour they are

Describe how light filters work

Explain the colours of objects in different lights

Lesson 5 Describe the structure of the eye

Describe the function of the cornea, pupil, iris, convex lens, retina
and optic nerve
Explain how a pinhole camera works

Compare the structure and working of the eye to a pinhole camera

 Part 2 – Sound
Tick
when re-
vised
Lesson 1 State how sound waves are produced
State what is transferred by a sound wave
Describe how sound waves travel using ideas of compres-
sions and rarefactions (using particle theory)

Explain why sound cannot travel through a vacuum

Lesson 2 State the speed of sound in air
Compare the speed of sound waves and light waves
Describe how sound is reflected off surfaces (echoes)

Explain why the speed of sound is different in solids, liquids

and gases
Explain how sound-proofing works
Lesson 3 Define the terms wavelength, frequency and amplitude and
state their units
Describe the relationship between wave amplitude and
sound intensity
Describe the relationship between wave frequency and pitch

Describe differences in the range of hearing (frequency) for

different animals including humans
Define the term ultrasound and give some examples of its
use
Lesson 4 Describe the structure of the ear
Describe how sound is detected by the ear
State the unit for sound intensity
Describe some ways in which hearing loss can occur

Interpret data about how the duration and intensity of a

sound relates to hearing loss

You will be assessed in this unit by completing a test.

 Light: Selected Key Questions
No Question Answer
1 State what a 'luminous objects' is Object that produces its own light

2 Give an example of a luminous object Sun

3 State what a 'non-luminous object' is Object that does not produce its
own light
4 Light is a wave that travels in ________ lines Straight

5 Define 'transparent' Material that allows all light to pass

through it
6 Define "translucent" Material that allows some light to
pass through it
7 Define "opaque" Material that allows no light to pass
through
8 Name the diagram used to show how light trav- Ray diagram
els
9 Name the piece of equipment used in investiga- Ray box
tions that emits light through a slit.
10 How should light rays be drawn in ray diagrams? In straight lines, with a ruler

11 What should always be drawn on a light ray? An arrow, to show the direction of
the light wave
12 State the speed of light (in metres per second, 300, 000, 000 m/s
m/s)
13 Light can 'bounce' off different surfaces. What is Reflection
the scientific name for this?
14 State the relationship between angles of inci- Angle of incidence = angle of re-
dence and reflection flection
15 Light can change direction when it passes Refraction
through one material in to another (e.g. air in to
water). What is the scientific name for this?

16 What does the retina in the eye detect? Light

17 State the function of the pupil in the eye Hole in the middle of the iris that
allows light to pass through and
enter the eye
18 State the function of the lens Refracts light (to focus it on the ret-
ina)
19 State the function of the optic nerve Carries (electrical) signals to the
brain
20 What colours make up white light? Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue,
Indigo, Violet
21 If a material absorbs all colours of the light spec- Black
trum, what colour do we see the material as?

22 What colour light does a red object reflect? Red light

 Sound: Selected Key Questions
1 What is the speed of sound in air (in 340 m/s
metres per second, m/s)
2 Sound requires a ____________ to Medium (either solid, liquid or
travel. gas)
3 Explain why sound can't travel in space Space is a vacuum (no particles)

4 Define "amplitude" The maximum vertical distance,

measured from the middle posi-
tion of the wave
5 Define "frequency" Number of waves produced per
second, in Hertz
6 Define "wavelength" Distance between same point on
two separate waves. Measured
in metres (m).
7 What is another name for the "pitch" of Frequency
a sound wave?
8 What is another name for the Loudness
"amplitude" of a sound wave?
9 What unit is used to measure sound? Decibels (dB)

10 Name six parts of the ear pinna, ear canal, ear drum, small
bones, cochlea, auditory nerve

11 State the function of the ear drum Vibrates (at the same pitch and
amplitude as the sound wave)
12 State the function of the small bones Amplify the vibrations

13 State the function of the cochlea Turn vibrations in to electrical

(containing small hairs and a liquid) signals
14 State the function of the auditory nerve Carries electrical signals from
the ear to the brain
15 State the function of the pinna (outside Directs sound vibrations into the
part of the ear that we can see) ear
16 Define "ultrasound" Sound waves with frequency
higher than 20,000Hz
17 Define "auditory range" The range of frequencies that an
animal can hear (for humans
20Hz to 20000Hz)
18 Give two uses of ultrasound Medical (seeing developing baby
inside the mother/ heart scans),
detecting breaks in pipes
 Quick Reference
Ray Diagram– Reflection:
A rsy disgrsm shows how light trav-
els, including what happens when it
reaches a surface. In a ray diagram,
you draw each ray as:

• a straight line
• with an arrowhead pointing in the
direction that the light travels
Remember to use a ruler and a sharp
pencil.

Ray Diagram– Refraction

 Quick Reference
Eye

nris - Coloured circle around the pupil. It controls the size of the pupil.

Pupil - Black part of the eye. This is an opening that lets light in.

Lens - This focuses light onto the retina.

Retins - Light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. It is made up of rods and cones. Rods
help us see the shapes of things. Cones help us see colours

Optic nerve - Carries messages from the retina to the brain. The brain turns these into an im-
age of what we are looking at.

Colour Filters

Red Filter

Blue Filter

Green Filter
 Quick Reference
Sound

• Sound requires a medium to travel– sound cannot travel in a vacuum

• The speed of sound in air is about 230 m/s
• Sound travels faster in liquids and even faster in solids

Parts of a Wave

Amplitude- the maximum height of the

wave from its resting position – the
greater the amplitude, the louder the
sound

Wsvelength is the distance between the

crests (tops) or troughs (bottoms) of two
waves next to each other (or any other
two identical point on waves next to each
other)

Frequency is the number of waves per

second – the higher the frequency, the
closer together the waves are and the
higher the pitch

Diagram 3 shows a soundwave wit

 Quick Reference

The Human Ear

Pinns or outer esr - Part of the ear you can see. Shaped like a funnel to collect sound waves
and send them to the inner ear. Also called the pinns

Esr csnsl - Tube that runs from the outer ear to the inner ear. Lined with cells that produce ear
wax (which traps dirt and microorganisms)

Esr drum - Thin layer of tightly stretched skin. It vibrates when sound waves hit it

Esr bones - Helps transmit sound from the air to the fluid in the cochlea

Cochles - Spiral tube. When the stirrup moves, fluid inside the cochlea moves. Hearing recep-
tors turn the movement into signals

Auditory nerve - Carries messages from the cochlea to the brain. The brain makes sense of
these signals as sounds