Light and the electromagnetic spectrum Study Guide

This practical explores how light bends, or refracts, when it passes from air into a rectangular glass block and then back into air. Refraction occurs because the speed of light changes as it moves through different materials. When light enters a denser medium, like glass, it slows down and bends towards the normal. When it exits the denser medium, it speeds up and bends away from the normal. By tracing the path of light rays, we can measure the angles of incidence and refraction and observe the effect of changing the angle at which the light strikes the block. This helps to illustrate Snell's Law and the concept of refractive index, demonstrating how the interaction of electromagnetic waves with matter causes a change in direction.

Changes within atoms and atomic nuclei are fundamental processes in physics that can both generate and be caused by electromagnetic radiation. When electrons within an atom move from a higher energy level to a lower one, or when atomic nuclei undergo decay or fusion, they emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation. This radiation can span a broad spectrum of frequencies, including visible light, X-rays, and gamma rays, depending on the energy involved in the transition. Conversely, atoms and nuclei can absorb electromagnetic radiation. When an atom absorbs a photon with sufficient energy, an electron can jump to a higher energy level. When a nucleus absorbs a high-energy photon or particle, it can become unstable, potentially leading to nuclear reactions or changes in its state.