Libro Cifi 3002
Libro Cifi 3002
Libro Cifi 3002
Electricity
and
Magnetism
E
7 .1 Electrical Force and Charge LECTRICITY UNDERLIES almost
7.2 Coulomb's Law everything around us. It's in the
7.3 Electric Field lightning from the sky, it powers
7 .4 Electric Potential devices from computers to flashlights, and
7. 5 Conductors and lnsulators it's what holds atoms together to form mol-
7 .6 Voltage Sources ecules. But what is electricity? Why can you
7 .7 Electric Current feel a spark when you grab a doorknob after
7 .8 Electrical Resistance
HISTORY OF SCIENCE ...scuffing your feet along the carpet? What's
110 Volts the difference between electric current and
7.9 Ohm's Law voltage-and which of these gives us electric
MATH CON N ECTION
Ohm's Law shocks? How do electric circuits work? Is
INTEGRATED SCIENCE 7A BIOLOGY electricity related to magnetism- if so, how?
Eledric Shock
How do the magnetic strips on credit cards,
7 . 10 ElectricCircuits
timing systems for traffic lights, and metal
7 .11 Electric Power
MATH CONNECTION detectors at airports tap both magnetic and
Solving Power Prob/ems
electrical forces? We begin our study with a
7 .12 The Magnetic Force
fundamental idea-the concept of electric
7. 13 Magnetic Fields
INTEGRATED SCIEN CE 78 BIOLOGY charge.
ANO EARTH SCIENCE
Earth's Magnetic Field and the Abi!ity
of Organisms to Sense lt
7 .14 Magnetic Forces ~n Moving Charges
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Distinguish between negative
El Electrical Force and Charge
and positive electric charges. E X P LA 1N T H 1s W hat is meanc by saying that elecrric charge is conserved?
1
F 1G U RE 7 . 2 /""•
INTERACTIVE FIGURE"'- {~
Model of a helium arom. The atomic
nucleus is made up of two prorons
and two nemrons. The positively FIGURE 7 . 3
charged protons attract rwo nega- Fur has a greater affinity for electrons than plastic. So, when a plastic rod is rubbed wirh
t ively charged electrons. What is the fur, eleccrons are transferred from the fur ro che rod. T he rod is then negatively charged.
net charge of chis arom ? By how much compared with the rod? Posirively or negarively?
CHAPTER 7 ELECTR I CI TY AND MAGNETISM 149
substances. Electrons are held more firmly in rubber or plastic than in your hair,
for example. Thus, when you rub a comb against your hair, electrons transfer from
rhe hair to the comb. The comb then has an excess of electrons and is said to be
negatively charged. Your hair, in turn, has a deficiency of electrons and is said to be Negative and positive are just
na mes given to opposite charges.
positively charged.
The names chosen could just as well
So, protons attract electrons and we have atoms. Electrons repel electrons and have been east and west, or up and
we have matter- because aroms don't mesh into one another. This pair of rules down, or Mary and Larry. Positive
charge is not "better" than negative
is the guts of electricity.
charge-the two kinds of charge are
just opposites of each other.
Conservation of Charge
Another basic fact of electricity is that, whenever somerhing is charge~, no elecrrons
are created or destroyed. Electrons are simply transferred from one material to an-
other. Charge is comerved. In every evem, wherher large-scale or at the atomic and
nuclear leve!, the principle of conservation ofcharge has always been found to apply.
No case of the creation or destruction of charge has ever- been found (Figure 7.4).
CHECK YOURSELF
lf you walk across a rug and scuff electrons from your feet, are you nega-
FIGURE 7 . 4
tively or positively charged?
Why will you gec a slighc shock from
che doorknob afcer scuffing across
CHECK YOUR ANSWER
che carpec?
You have fewe r electro ns af ter yo u scuf f you r f eet, so you are positively
charged (and the rug is negatively ch arged).
common?
T
he elecrric force, like the gravitacional force, decreases inversely as the
square of the disrance becween the charges. This relacionship, which was
discovered by Charles Coulomb in the 18th century, is called Coulomb's
law. Ic states that, for two charged objects thac are much smaller than the distance
between them, the force between them varies directly as the produce of their charges
and inversely as the square of the distance becween them. The force acts along a
srraight line from one charge to che ocher. Coulomb's law can be expressed as
F = k qiq2
d1
where dis rhe distance berween rhe charged parricles, q 1 is the charge on one panicle,
q2 is rhe charge on the second parricle, and k is che proportionalicy conscant.
T he unic of electric charge is called rhe coulomb, abbreviaced C. lt turns
c
out that a charge of 1 is equal in magnicude to the total charge of 6.25 bil-
lion billion electrons. This might seem like a great number of electrons, but it
represents only rhe amount of charge that flows through a common 100-watt
lightbulb in a liccle more chan a second. Dividing che value of 1 C by che num-
ber of electrons with this much charge, we find the charge on a single electron:
1.60 X 10- 19 C. An electron and a proton carry this same magnitude of charge.
150 PART ONE PHYSICS
Because all charged objects carry multiples of this charge, 1.60 X 10- 19 C is
considered rhe fundamental charge.
The proportionality constant k in Coulomb's law is similar to G in Newton's
law of graviry. lnstead of being a very small number, like G, however, k is a very
large number-approximately ·
k = 9,000,000,000 N ·m2/ C 2
In scientific notation, k = 9.0 X 109 N ·m2/ C 2 . The unir N ·m2/ C 2 is not cen-
tral to our interest here; it simply converts the right-hand side of the equation to
the unit of force, the newton (N). What is important is rhe large magnirude of k.
If, for example, a pair of charges of 1 coulomb each were 1 meter apart, the force
.... of repulsion berween rhe two would be 9 billion N. That would be about ten
times the weight of a battleship. Obviously, such quantities of unbalanced charge
do not usually exist in our everyday environment .
So, Newton's law of gravitation for masses is similar to Coulomb's law for
electrically charged bodies. T he most important difference between gravitational
and electrical forces is that electrical forces may be either attractive or repulsive,
FIGUR E 7 . 5 whereas gravitational forces are only atrractive.
T he negatively charged balloon
polarizes molecules in che wooden
wall and creaces a positively charged CHECK YOURSELF
surface, so che balloon scicks to che
1. The proton is the nucleus of the hydrogen atom, and it attracts the elec-
wall.
tron that orbits it. Relative to this force, does the electron attract the
proton with less force, more force, or the same amount of force?
2. lf a proton ata particular distance from a charged particle is repelled
with a given force, by how much will the force decrease when the pro- ·
ton is three times as distant from the particle? When it is five times as
distant?
3. What is the sign of the charge on the particle in this case?
(b)
F I GURE 7. 6
An eleccron buzzing around che Charge Polarization
acomic nucleus makes up an eleccron
lf you charge an inflated balloon by rubbing it on your hair and then place the
cloud. (a) T he center of che negative
"cloud" of eleccrons coincides wich balloon againsr a wall, it sticks (Figure 7.5). This is because th.e charge on the
che cencer of che posirive nucleus in balloon alrers rhe charge disrriburion in the atoros or molecules in rhe wall, effec-
an atom. (b) W hen an external nega- tively inducing an opposite charge on the wall. The molecules cannot move from
cive charge is brough r nearby, as on a their relarively srationary positions, but their "centers of charge" are moved. The
charged balloon, che electron cloud is
positive part of the atom or molecule is atrracred roward the balloon while rhe
discorced so chac che centers of nega-
cive and posirive charge no longer negative part is repelled. This has the effect of distorting rhe atoro or molecule
coincide. The atom is elecrrically (Figure 7.6). T he atom or molecule is said to be electrically polarized. (We will
polarized. treat electrical polarization further in Chapter 12.)
CHAPTER 7 ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM 151
lectrical forces, like gravitational forces, can act between things that are
E not in contact with each other. How do bodies thar are not touching exert
forces on one another? To model "action-at-a-distance" forces such as
gravity and the electric force, we use the concept of the force field. Every mass is
MasteringPhysicsº
VIDEO: Van de Graaff
Generator
surrounded by a gravitational field, while an elecrric field surrounds any charged
objecr. Since you are more familiar with the gravitational force rhan the electric
force ar rhis point, firsr consider how the gravitational field works. The space sur-
rounding any mass is altered such that another mass imroduced into this region
experiences a force. This "alterarion in space" is called irs gravitational field. We
can think of any orher mass as interacring wirh rhe ·field and aot direccly wirh An electric f ield is nature's store-
the mass that produces it. For example, when an apple falls from a tree, we say
that it is interacting with the mass of Earth, but we can also rhink of an apple as
responding to the gravirarional field of Earrh ar that point.
Similarly, rhe space around every electric charge is filled with an electric
field- an energeric aura rhar extends through space. An electric field is a vector
quantity, having borh magnitude and direction. The magnitude of rhe field at
any point is simply the force per unir charge. If a charge q experiences a force F at
sorne point in space, then the elecrric field at that point is E = F/ q. The direc-
tion of che electric field is away from posirive charge and toward negative charge.
If you place a charged particle in an elecrric field, it will ~xperience a force.
The direction of the force on a positive charge is rhe same direction as the field.
The electric field can bese be visualized with field lines. Field lines show rhe di rec-
tion of the elecrric field-away from positive charge and toward negative charge. F 1G U RE 7. 7 ~·
Field lines also show the intensity of the electric field-where the field lines are
INTERACTIVE FIGURE~ (~
Electric-field represenrarions about a
most tightly bunched together, the field is strongest. T he electric field and field
negative charge.
lines about an electron point toward the electron (Figure 7.7). The elecrric field
and field lines about a proton point in the opposite direction- rad ially away
from rhe proron. As with the electric force, rhe electric field abour a particle
obeys rhe inverse-square law. Sorne elecrric-field configurations are shown in
Figure 7.8.
¡¡:
-- ~
+
+
... .._~ -
L.:
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Distinguish between e lectric
Mil Electric Potential
potentia l e nergy and electric EXPLAI N TH 1 s Why aren't you harmed when yo u couch a 5000-V party
pot ential.
balloon?
I tional potem ial energy due to its location in a gravitational field. Similarly, a
charged object has potential energy dueto irs locarion in an electric field. Just
as work is requi red to lift a massive object against the gravitational field of Earth,
work is required to push a charged particle against che electric field of a charged
body. This work changes the electric potential energy (PE) of che charged par-
t icle. This is similar ro che work done in compressing a spring, increasing the
(a) potential energy of the spring (Figure 7.9a). Likewise, che work done in pushing
a positively charged particle closer to the positively charged sphere in Figure 7.9b
o---------- F
@
increases the potential energy of che charged particle. We call this energy pos-
sessed by the ch arged particle that is due to its location electric potential
en er gy. If the particle is released, ir accelerates in a direction away from the
fF+), ____~ sphere, and its electric potential energy changes ro kinetic energy.
(b] 'zd ~ Ifwe push a particle with rwice che charge, we do twice as much work. Twice
FIGURE 7 . 9
the charge in the same location has twice che potenrial energy; with chree times
(a) The spring has more elastic PE
when it is compressed. (b) T he small
the charge, there is chree rimes as much potencial energy; and so on. When
charge similarly has more PE when it working with elecrricity, rarher than dealing with che total potential energy of a
is pushed closer m the sphere of 1ike charged body, we find it is convenienc to consider the elecrric potential energy
charge. I n borh cases, rhe increased per charge. We simply divide the amount of energy by che amount of charge. T he
PE is the result of work inpuc.
electric potencial eµergy per amount of charge is called electric potential; thar is,
electric potencial energy
Elecrric potencial = h
e arge
T he unit of measuremenc for electric potenrial is the volt, so elecrric potential
is often called vo!tage. A potentiafof 1 volt (V) equals 1 joule (J) of energy per
coulomb (C) of charge:
1 joule
1 volt=----
+~+ coulomb
\++
+
+ T hus, a 1.5-volt battery gives 1.5 joules of energy to every 1 coulomb of charge
+
+ +
+ :o+
+ •
++++
+++++
+
flowing through the battery. Electric potential and volrage are the same thing,
and the two terms are commonly used interchangeably.
The signifkance of electric potential (voltage) is that a definite value for it can
be assigned to a location. We can speak about the voltages at different locations
in an electric field w hether or not charges occupy those locations (Figure 7.10).
FIGURE 7 . 10 T he same is true of voltages at various locations in an electric circuir. Later in this
The larger test charge has more PE ch apter, we'll see that the location of a positive terminal of a 12-volt battery is
in the fleld of the charged dome, bue
the electric potencial of any amount maintained ata voltage 12 volts higher than che location of che negative terminal.
of ch arge at che same location is che W hen a conducting medium connects this vo!tage difference, any charges in che
same. medium will move berween these locations.
CHECK YOURSELF
1. Suppose there were twice as many coulombs in one of the t est cha rges
near the charg ed sphe re in Figure 7.1 0. Would the electric potential
energy of this t est cha rge relative to the charged sphere be t he same,
...
CHA PTER 7 ELECTRICITY AN O M A G N ETISM 153
or would it be twice as· great? Would the electric potential of the test
charge be the same, or would it be twice as great?
2. What does it mean to say that your car has a 12-volt battery?
insulating materials?
lectric conductors are materials that allow charged particles (usually electrons)
E to pass through them easily. Copper, silver, and other metals are good electric
conductors for the same reason they are good heat conductors: Atoros of met-
als have one or more outer electrons that are loosely bound ro their nuclei. These are
There are great differences in t he
electrical conductivity of co nduc-
t o rs and insul ators. For exam ple,
called free electrons. Ir is these free electrons that conduct through a merallic conduc-
in a common appliance cord, elec-
tor when an electrical force is applied to them, making up a current. (A current is a trons flow through several meters
Aow of cbarged parricles, usually electrons, which is discussed in Secrion 7.7.) of metal wire rather than t hrough
The electrons in other materials-rubber and glass, for example- are tightly a sma ll fraction of a centimeter of
vinyl or rubber insulation.
bound and belong to particular atoms. Consequently, ir isn't easy to make them
flow. These materials are poor electric conductors for the same reason they are
generally poor heat conductors. Such a m aterial is called a good insulator.
All substances can be arranged in arder of their electrical conductiviry. Those at
the top of the list are conduci;ors and those at the bottom are insulators. T he ends of
the listare very far apart. The conductivity of a metal, for example, can be more than
a million rrillion times grearer rhan the conductiviry of an insulator such as glass.
Sorne rnaterials are neither good conductors nor good insulators; they are Miniaturized semiconducti ng
electronic components take up
semiconductors. These materials fall into the midrange of conductivity, since less space, and they are faster and
they possess few electrons that are free to move. H owever, the number of free requ ire less energy to operate than
elecrrons in a semiconductor can be adjusred by introducing sm all amounts of old-fashi o ned circu it com po nents.
scientist can creare a conductor with a specific conducrivity. Silicon and germanium
are the mosr common semiconductors. These elemems, once they have been
doped, serve as rhe basic material for computer chips and miniacurized electronic
components-rransistors, for example. Transistors~re essential components of
computers and other electronic devices. A transistor can act as a conductor or as
an insulator depending on che applied voltage, controlling che flow of charge to
differem pares of a circuir.
W
hen the ends of an elecrric conductor are at differem electric poten-
tials-when there is a potential difference-charges in che conduc-
tor ílow from che higher potential to che lower pocential. The ílow
of charges persists umil both ends reach che same potential. Without a potencial
difference, no flow of charge will occur.
To attain a sustained flow of charge in a conductor, sorne arrangemem must
be provided to maintain a difference in potential while charge flows from one
end ro another. The situation is analogous to the flow of water from a higher
reservoir to a lower one (Figure 7.13a). Water will flow in a pipe that connects
the reservoirs only as long as a difference in the water levels exists. The flow of
water in the pipe, like che flow of charge in a wire, will cease when the pressures
at each end are equal. A continuous flow is possible if the difference in the water
levels- and hence che difference in che water pressures-is maimained with che
F I GURE 7 . 12
An unusual sou rce of volcage. T he use of a suitable pump (Figure 7.13b).
electric potential between the head and A sustained electric current requires a suitable pumping device to maintain a
tail of che electric eel (Electrophorus difference in electric potencial- to maintain a voltage. Chemical batteries or gen-
electricus) can be as high as 650 V erators are "electrical pumps" chac can maintain a sceady flow of charge. These
devices do work to pull negacive charges apare from positive ones. In chemical bac-
teries, chis work is done by the chemical disintegracion of lead or zinc in acid, and
che energy scored in che chemical bonds is converted in to electric potential energy.
(See Chapcer 13 for a discussion of how batteries work.) Generacors separare charge
by electromagnetic induccion, a process described lacer in this chapcer.
Higher J Lower)
pressure pressure
(a) (b)
FIGURE 7 . 13
(a) Water flows from che reservoi r of higher pressure to the reservo ir of lower pressu re.
T he flow will cease when the difference in pressure ceases. (b) Water continues to flow
because the pump m ai ntains a difference in pressure.
CHAPTER 7 EL ECTRIC ITY AND MAGNETISM 155
T he work that is done (by whatever means) in separating the opposite charges
is available at che terminals of che battery or generator. This energy per charge
provides che difference in potencial (voltage) that provides che "electrical pres-
sure" to move electrons through a circuir joined to rhose terminals. A common In ac circuits, 120 volts is what is
called the "root-mean-square"
automobile battery provides an electrical pressure of 12 volts to a circuir connected
average of the volt age. The actua l
across its terminals. Then 12 joules of energy are supplied to each coulomb of vo ltage in a 120-vo lt ac circuit var-
charge that is made to f!ow in the circuir. A simple battery that can be made with íes between + 170 volt s and -170
volts, delivering the same power
a lemon provides about 1 V. (lnstructions for making a lemon battery are given
to an iron or a toast er as a 120-volt
in Exercise 36 at che end of che chapter.) de circuit .
ever, positive ions as well as electrons may make up che flow of an electric charge.
This occurs inside a com mon automobile battery.
An important difference becween water flow and electron flow has to do w ith
cheir conductors. If you purchase a water pipe ar a hardware store, che clerk
doesn't sel! you che water ro flow through it. You provide that yourself. By con-
FIGURE 7 . 14
trast, when you buy an "elecrric pipe" (that is, an electric wire), you also get che
Each coulomb of charge rhac is made
eleccrons. Every bit of matter, wires included, concains enormous numbers of to flow in a circuir rhac conneccs che
electrons that swarm about in random directions. When a source of voltage sets ends of ch is 1.5-V flash lighr cell is
them moving, we have an electric circuir. energized with 1.5 ] .
The rate of electrical flow is measured in amperes. An ampere is che rate of
flow of 1 coulomb of charge per second. (That's a flow of 6.25 billion billion
electrons per second.) For example, in a wire that carries 4 amperes to a car
headlighc bulb, 4 coulombs of charge flow pase any cross section in che wire each
second. We often thin k of current flow ing
lt is inceresting to note th at the speed of electrons as they drift chrough a through a circuit, but we don't
say this around somebody who
wire is surprisingly slow. This is because electrons continually bump into at- is picky about gramma r, because
oms in che wire. The net speed, or drift speed, of electrons in a typical circuir is the expression "current f lows" is
much less than 1 centimeter per second. The electrical signa!, however, travels at redundant. More properly, charge
flows-which is current.
nearly che speed of light. Thac's the speed at which the electric field in che wire
is established .
........
156 PART ONE PHYSIC S
110 Volts
In the early days of elecrric lighting, high volrages burned in Europe, engineers had figu red ouc how ro make light-
out clecrric filaments, so low volr.ages were more practica!. bulbs rhac would not burn our so fase ar higher volrages.
The hundreds of power planes built in rhe United Srares Power rransmission is more efficienr at higher volrages,
prior ro 1990 adop red 110 volrs (or 11 5 volrs, or 120 volts) so Europe adopred 220 volrs as che standard. The Unired
as cheir standard. The tradition of 110 volts was decided Srates remained wich 110 volts (today, ir is officially
upon because it made che bulbs of rhe <lay glow as brighdy 120 volts) becausc of che inicial huge expense necessary to
as a gas lamp. By the rime elecrric lighting became popular install 11O-volt equipment.
T
he relationship among voltage, current, and resistance is summa-
rized by a statement known as Ohm's law. Ohm discovered thac the
amounc of currenc in a circuir is directly proporcional to che voltage The u nit of resistance is the ohm,
established across the circuir and is inversely proporcional to che resistance fl-li ke the o ld cowboy song,
of the circuir: "fl, {l on the Range."
voltage
Current = resistance
MasteringPhysics"
VIDEO: Ohm'~ Law
Or, in che forro of units,
volts
Amperes = - h-
o ms
'
And, in symbolic forro [since V stands for volrage (in volts), I for currem (in am-
i! ,.. +·
1· 1 •
11' ~ ~~
peres), and R for resistance (in ohms)], we express Ohm's law as
V 1
I=
R
FIGURE 7 . 18
So, for a given circuir of conscanc electrical resistance, currenc and volrage are Resistors. The graphic symbol for a
resistor in an cleccric circuir is .J\/V'-.
proporcional to each other. T his means thac we'll get cwice the currenc for rwice
the volrage. The greacer che voltage, the greater che current. But, if rhe resisc-
ance is doubled for a circuir, che currenc will be half whac ic would have been
ocherwise. The greater the resiscance, che sm aller the currenc. Ohm's law makes
good sense. ,,
The resiscance of a cypical lamp cord is much less chan 1 ohm, and a cypical
lighcbulb has a resistance greacer than 100 ohms. An iron or an electric toascer Current is a flow of cha rge, pres-
has a resistance of 15 to 20 ohms. The currenc inside these and ali other electrical sured into motion by voltage and
hampered by resistance.
devices is regulated by circuir elemencs called resistors (Figure 7.18), whose resist-
ance may be a few ohms or millions of ohms.
158 PART ONE PHYSICS
T
he damaging effects of electric shock are the result of current passing .
through the human body. But what causes electric shock in the body-
current or voltage? From O hm's law, we can see that this current depends
on the voltage that is applied and also on the electrical resistance of the human
body. T he resistance of one's body depends on its condition, and the resistance
ranges from about 100 ohms, if the body is soaked with salt water, to about
500,000 ohms, if the skin is very dry. If we rouch the two electrodes of a battery
with d ry fingers, completing the circuit from one hand to the other, we offer a
resistance of about 100,000 ohms. We usually cannot feel 12 volts, and 24 volts just
barely tingles. If our skin is moist, 24 volts can be quite uncomfortable. Table 7.1
lists the effects that different amounts of current have on the human body.
To receive a shock, there must be a difference in electric potential between one
parr of your body·and another parr. Most of the current will pass along the path of
least electrical resistance connecting these two points. Suppose you fell from a bridge
and managed to grab onto a high-voltage power line, halting your fall. So long as
you touch nothing that has a different potential, you will receive no shock at ali.
Even if the wire is a few thousand volts above ground porential and you hang by it
with two hands, no appreciable charge w ill flow from one hand to the other. T his
is because there is no appreciable difference in potential between your two hands.
If, however, you reach over with one hand and grab onto a wire that has a different
0.001 Can b e fe lt
·o.oos Is painful
O.Q10 Causes invo luntary muscle contractions (spasms)
0 .15 Cau ses loss of muscle co ntrol
0.70 Goes through the heart; cau ses serious disruption; probably fatal if
current lasts longer than 1 s
CHAPTER 7 EL ECTRI CITY AND MAGNETI SM 159
potential- zap! We have all seen birds perched on high-voltage wires. Every part of
their bodies is at the same potential as rhe wire, so rhey feel no ill effects (Figure 7.19).
Many people are killed each year from common 120-volt electric circuirs. If your
hand touches a faulry 120-volt light fixture while your feet are on the ground, rhere's
likely a 120-volt "electrical pressure" between your hand and the ground. Resistance
to current is usually grearest between your feet and the ground, and so che current
is usually not enough to do serious harm. Bue if your feec and the ground are wet,
FIGURE 7 . 19
there is a low-resistance electrical path between you and the ground. Pure water is The bird can stand harmlessly on
not a good conductor. But che ions that normally are found in water make ir a fair one wire of high potential, but ir had
conductor. Oissolved materials in water, especially small quamities of salt, lower the better not reach over and rouch a
resistance even more. There is usually a !ayer of salr remaining on your skin from neighboring wire. Why nor?
perspiration, which, when wet, lowers your skin resisrance to a few hundred ohms
or less. Handling electrical devices when wet is a definite no-no.
Injury by electric shock occurs in three forms: (1) burning of rissues by heac- While A lexandra Volta was
ing, (2) comraction of muscles, and (3) d isruptiop. of cardia_,c rhythm. These experimenting with metals
and acids in 1791 he touched a silver
conditions are caused by rhe delivery of excessive power for too long a time in
spoon and a piece of tinto his tongue
critica! regions of the body. (saliva is slightly acidic) and connected
Electric shock can upset the nerve center that controls breathing. In rescu- them wit h a piece of copper wire.
ing shock victims, the first thi ng to do is remove them from the source of rhe The sour taste indicated electricity.
electriciry. Use a dry wooden stick or sorne other nonconducrnr so thac you don't He went on to assemble a pi le o f cells
to form a battery. In Volta's honor,
get eleccrocuted yourself Then apply artificial respira6on. lt is importanc to con-
electric potential is measured in units
cinue artificial respiration. There have been cases of viccims oflighcning who did of "volts." (Touch the t wo term inals
not breathe wichout assistance for severa! hours but who were eventually revived of a 9-volt battery to your tongue to
and complecely regained good health. experience this for yourse lf.)
CHECK YOURSELF
1. What causes electric shock-current or voltage7
2. At 100,000 n, how much current will flow through you r body if you
touch the terminals of a 12-V battery7
3. lf your skin is very moist, so that your resistance is only 1000 !l, and you
touch the termina Is of a 12-V battery, how much current do you receive7
A
ny path a long which electrons can flow is a circuir. For a cominuous flow
of electrons, there must be a complete circuir with no gaps. A gap is usually
provided by an electric switch that can be opened or closed either to cut
off energy or to allow energy to flow. Most circuits h ave more than one device
chat receives electric energy. T hese devices are commonly connected to a circuir
in one of cwo ways: in series or in para/le!.
A simple series circuit is show n in Figure 7.21. Three lamps are connected
in series with a battery. The same current exists almost immediately in ali chree
lamps when che switch is closed. The current does noc "pile up" or accumulate
in any lamp but flows chrough each lamp. Electrons chac make up this current
leave che negative terminal of the baccery, pass through each of the resistive fila-
mems in the lamps in turn, and then return to che positive terminal of the bat-
tery. (The same amount of currem passes chrough che battery.) This is che only
path of the electrons chrough che circuir. A break anywhere in che path results in
an open circuir, and then che flow of electrons ceases. Such a break occurs when
FIGURE 7 . 21 ; - ..
che switch is opened, when che wire is accidencally cut, or when one of che lamp
INTERACTIVE FIGURE, (~ filaments burns out.
A simple series circuir. T he 6-V bat- le is easy to see che main disadvantage of che series circuir; if one device fails,
tery provides 2 V across each lamp. current in che entire circuir ceases. Sorne cheap C hriscmas-tree lights are con-
nected in series. W hen one bulb burns out, ic's fon and games (or fruscracion)
Mastering Physics• trying to locate which one to replace.
VIDEO: Electric Circuits Mosc circuics are wired so chat ir is possible to operare severa! eleccrical de-
vices, each independendy of che other. In your home, for example, a lamp can be
turned on or off wichouc affeccing che operation of ocher lamps or electrical de-
vices . This is because these devices are connecced not in series bue in parallel wich
one anocher. A simple parallel circuit is shown in Figure 7.22. Three lamps are
connecced co the same cwo points, A and B. Eleccrical devices connecced to che
same two points of an electric circuir are said to be connected in parallel. Eleccrons
leaving rhe negafive terminal of che battery need co travel chrough only one lamp
filament befare returning to the posicive terminal of che battery. In chis case, che
current branches into chree separare pathways from A to B. A break in any one
path does not interrupt che flow of charge in the other paths. Each device oper-
ares independendy of the ochcr devices.
CHECK YOURSELF
1. In a circuit consisting of two lamps connected in series, if the current in
one lamp is 1 A , what is the curren.t in the other lamp?
2. In a circuit consisting of two lamps connected in parallel, if there is 6 V
Electron Voltage ~ across one lamp, what is the voltage across the other lamp?
flow source
F 1G U R E 7 . 2 2 /"'"""4• CHECK YOUR ANSWERS
INTERACTIVE FIGURE, (~ 1. 1 A; current does not "pile up" anywh ere in the ci rcuit.
A simple parallel circuit. A 6-V battery 2. 6 V; the vo ltages in all branches of a parallel ci rcuit are the same.
prov ides 6 V across each lamp.
CHAPTE R 7 ELECTR IC ITY AN O MAGNET ISM 161
.
Ex P LA 1N T H 1s Why shouldn't you con nect a 120-V hairdryer to 240 V? to power with their units of
measurement.
T
he moving charges in an electric current do work. This work, for exam-
ple, can heat a circuit or turn a motor. The rate at which chis work is
done-that is, che rate at which electric energy is converted imo another
form, such as mechanical energy, heat, or light-is called electric power. Elec-
tric power is equal to the produce of current and voltage:*
Power = current X voltage = IV
If a lamp rated at 120 volts operares on a 120-volt line, you can figure that it will
drawacurremofl ampere (120 watts = 1 ampere X 120 volts).AGO-wattlamp
draws 1/2 ampere on a 120-volt line. This relationship becomes a practica! mat-
ter when you wish to know the cose of electric energy, which is-usually a small FIGURE 7 . 23
fraction of a dallar per kilowatt-hour, depending on the locality. A kilowan is The power-and-voltage designation
o n rhe incandescent lighcbulb reads
1000 watts, and a kilowan-hour represems the amoum of energy consumed in
"100 W 120 V." H ow many amperes
1 hour at the rate of 1 kilowatt.** Therefore, in a locality where electric energy will flow through the bulb?
costs 25 cents per kilowatt-hour, an incandescent 100-watt electric lightbulb
can operare for 10 hours at a cost of 25 cenes, or a half nickel for each hour
(Figure 7.23). Compact fluorescem lamps (CFLs) are much less expensive to
operate (Figure 7.24).
It is interesting that a 26-W C FL (see Figure 7.24) provides about the same
amount of light as a 100-W incsandescent bulb. Thac's only one-quarter of che
power for che same light! t In addition t0 significantly greater efficiencies, CFLs
also have longer bulb lifetimes.tt lncandescem bulbs are now being replaced
byCFLs.
Another up and coming light source is the light-emitting diode (LEO), the
most primitive being the little red lights that tell you whether your eleccronic
devices are on or off. LEDs that emit a ful! range of colors were developed in the
FIGURE 7 . 24
1960s. Today, LEDs have advanced beyond indicator displays on electronic appli- The power-and-voltage designacion
ances and are common in relevision screens, traffic lights, automobile lights, on che compacc fluorescenc lamp
airport runway lighting, and even billboards. LEDs are compact, efficient, require (CFL) reads "26 W 120 V." It glows
as bright as a more power-consuming
100-W incandescent bulb.
~ Recall from Chapcer 4 that power = ~'¡:;:~; 1 watt = 1 J/s. Note thac che units fo r mechan ical
power and eleccric power agree (work and energy are borh measured in joules):
charge energy energy
Power = -- X - - = -- A bulb's brightness depends
cime charge time
on how much power it uses.
If rhe volcage is expressed in volts and che currenr is expressed in amperes, then che power is A n incandescent bulb that uses
expressed in watts. So, in units form,
100 W is brighter than one that
Watts = amperes X volts uses 60 W. Because of this, many
Using Ohm's law w substituce IR for V, we have an alrernative statemenr for power: power = l 2R. peop le mistakenly think that a watt
** Since power = energy/time, simple rearrangemenr gives energy = power X time; chus energy is a unit of brightness, but it isn't.
can be expressed in rhe un ir kilowa{t-hours (kWh). A 26-W CFL is as bright as a 100-W
t lt turns out that the powcr formula P = IV doesn't apply ro C foLs, because in a CFL che incandescent bulb. Does that mean
alrernating volrage and currenr are out of srep with each other (out of phase), and the produce of
that an incandescent bulb wast es
currenr and volrage is greater than che actual power consumption. How much grearer? Check the
electricity? Yes. The extra electric
prinred data ar rhe base of a CFL.
tt A disadvanrage of CFLs is che uace amounrs of mcrcury sealed in their glass tubing, sorne 4 mg.
power used just heats the bu lb,
Bue che single largesr sou rce of mercury em issions in che environmenr is coal-fired power planrs. which is why incandescent bulbs
According to the EPA, when coa! power is used to illum inate a single incandescenr lamp, more are much hotter to touch than
mercury is released in rhc air rhan exis"ts in a comparably luminous CFL. equal ly bright CFLs.
162 PART ONE PHYS ICS
Solving Power Problems 2. At 30\t/kWh, show that it coses 36\t to operare che
1200-W hair dryer for 1 h. •'
You'll find that you can answer many practica!, everyday
questions related to electriciry if you know che relation-
ships among power, voltage, and current. Here are two Solutions
l. Yes. From rhe expression watts = amperes X volts, we
examples.
can see that current = i¡gg~ = 1O A, so che hair dryer
Proble m s will operare when connecred to che circuir. Bue rwo hair
l. If a 120 -V line to a socker is limired ro 15 A by a safety dryers on che same circuir will blow che fuse.
fuse, will ir operare a 1200-W hair dryer? 2. 1200 W = 1.2 kW; 1.2 kW X 1 h X 30\t/ kWh = 36\t.
no filament, and are long-lasting (about 100 times longer-lasting chan incandes-
cent bulbs). They emit 15 times as much light per watt asan incandescent bulb.
And, they do not contain che traces of harmful mercury found in CFLs. With
competition from CFLs, chen LEDs, wacch for che commonly used incandescent
bulbs to become history.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Establish the rule for the
ljfj The Magnetic Force
attraction and repulsion of
E X P LA 1N T H 1s Why are refrigerator magnets short range?
magnetic poles.
nyone who has played around with magnets knows that magnets exert
This rule is similar to the rule for the forces becween eleccric charges, where
like cha rges repel each other and unlike charges actract. Bue chere is a very im-
si
portanc difference becween magnecic poles and electric charges. Whereas electric
charges can be isolaced , magnecic poles cannoc. Electrons and protons are encicies IN sl{N si
by chemselves, buc che norch and south poles of a magnec are like che head and
cail of che same coin. ~[]~~
If you break a bar magnet in half, each h alf scill behaves as a complete magnec.
Break che pieces in half again, and you have four complete magnecs. You can
continue breaking che pieces in half and never isolate a single pole. Even if your ílBBBBBBB
pieces were one atom chick, chere would still be two poles on each piece, wh ich FIGURE 7 . 26
suggescs chat che atoms themselves are magnecs (Figure 7.26). If you break a magnet in half, you
will have two magnecs. If you break
these cwo magnecs in half, you will
have four magnecs, each wich a north
Y
ou have learned chat che space around every eleccric charge is filled with
an electric field. Similarly, che space around a magnec contains a mag-
netic field- an energecic aura thac extends through space. If you sprinkle LEARNING OBJECTIVE
sorne iron filings on a sheet of paper placed on a magnec, you' ll see chac the fil- Relate magnetic field strength to
ings move in response to che magnecic field and trace out an orderly pactern of magnetic field patterns.
lines chat surround che magnec. The shape of the field is revealed by magnetic
field lines that spread out from one pole and return to che other pole. lt is inter-
est ing to compare che field pacterns in Figures 7.27 and 7.28 with che electric
field patterns in Figure 7.8b.
The d ireccion of che field oucside che magnec is from che norch pole to che
south pole. W here che lines are closer cogerher, che field is scronger. We can see
chac che magnetic field strength is greacer at che poles. If we place anocher mag-
nec or a small compass anywhere in che field, its poles will cend to align wich che
magnetic field (Figure 7.29).
A magnetic field is produced by moving electric charges. W here, chen, is this
motion in a common bar magnec? T he answer is, in che eleccrons of che ac- F 1G U R E 1 . 2 1 , - ..
oms chac make up che magnec. These electrons are in conscant motion. Two INTERACTIVE FIGURE""- (~
kinds of eleccron mocion produce magnecism: electron spin and electron revo- Top view of iron filings sprinkled on
lucion. In mosc common magnecs, eleccron spin is che main contributor to a sheet of paper on top of a magnet.
magnetism. T he filings trace out a patcern of
magnetic field lines in che surround-
ing space. lmeresringly enough, che
magnetic field lines cominue inside
che magnet (noc revealed by che filings)
and form closed loops.
FIGURE 7 . 28
T he magneric field patcerns for a pair of magners. (a) O pposire poles are nearesr each other,
and (b) like poles are nearest each orher.
1 164 PART ONE PH YSICS
• lle
doma in consiscs of billions of nail, for example, che domains are randomly oriented.
1
aligned atoms. ~ Bue, when you bring a magnet nearby, rhe domains
j -
l'
can be induced into alignment. W hen you remove the
'~
nraanild~o'mºmartrhaenmgeamgnenett,.
ordinary
most or all of rhe domains thermal
in the nail motion causes
to return to a
J333333
FIGURE 7 . 33
Magnetic field lines about a current-
carrying wire become bunched up
when the w ire is bent into a loop.
I I
,'
,'
'
'
A magnet and the compass aligns with Earch's magnetic field (Figure 7.35).
The configuration of Earch's magnetic field is similar to chat of a
scrong bar magnet placed near the cemer ofEarch. Bur Earth is nota magnetized
,1, '1
'
. :,,
'
'
chunk of iron like a bar magnet. Temperacures rise quickly underground, and
they are too high for individual atoms to stabilize in magnetic domains with che
..... - .... ',,:
1 \
.... ... ,'
_..
,' proper oriemation. Random thermal motion would destroy such an organized
.... -.......
¿I,
CHECK YOURSELF
1. Is Earth a magnet? Justify your answer.
2. How does the presence of magnetite in an organism's body help it navigate?
A
charged particle has to be moving to interact with a magnetic field.
Charges at rest don't respond to magnets. Bue, when they are moving,
charged particles experience a deflecting force.* T he force is grearest
when the particles move at right angles to che magnetic field lines. At other
angles, the force is less, and it becomes zero when che particles move parallel to
the field lines. T he force is always perpendicular to che magnetic field lines and
perpendicular to the velocity of the charged particle (Figure 7.37). T his means
that a moving charge is deflected when it crosses through a magnetic field, but
not when it travels parallel to the fiel d.
FIGURE 7 . 37
A beam of elecrrons is deflected by a
*
Magnet1c
field
Beam
This deílecting force is very different from the forces that occur in ocher incerac-
tions. Gravitation acts in a direction parallel to che line between masses, and electrical
forces act in a direction parallel to the line between charges. Bur magnetic force acts
at right angles ro the magnetic field and che velocity of che charged particle.
We are fortunate that charged particles are deflected by magnetic fields . This
FIGURE 7 . 38
fact is used when -Earth's magnetic field deflects charged particles from outer
Earrh's magnecic field picks up many
space. W ithout this magnetic deflection, the harmful cosmic rays that bombard charged parcicles rhar make up cosmic
Earch's surface would be much more intense (Figure 7.38). radiation.
-Current
*When particles of electric charge q and velocity v move perpendicularly imo a magnetic field of
screngch B, che force Fon each parricle is simply che produce of che threc variables: F = qvB. For
nonperpendicular angles, v in chis reladonship muse be che component of velociry perpendicular ro B.
168 PART ON E PHYSICS
If we reverse the direction of the current, the deflecting force acts in the op-
posite direction . T he force is strongest when the current is perpendicular to the
magnetic field lines. The direction of force is neither along the m agnetic field
lines nor along the direction of currem. The force is perpend icular both to the
field lines and to the currem. It is a sideways force.
We see that, just as a current-carrying wire will deflect a m agnet, such as a
compass needle, a magnet will deflect a current-carrying w ire. W hen discovered ,
these complemem ary links between electricity and m agnetism created much
excitement. Al~ost immediately, people began harnessing the electromagnetic
force for usefu1 purposes-with great sensitivity in electric meters and with great
force in electric motors.
Electric Meters
The simplest meter to detect electric current is a m agnetic
compass. The next simplest m eter is a compass in a coil of
wires (Figure 7.40). W hen an electric current passes through
the coil, each loop produces its own effect on the needle, so
FIGURE 7 . 40 even a very sm all current can be detected. Such a current-
A very simple galvanometer. indicating instrument is called a galvanometer.
A more common design is shown in Figure 7.41. It employs more loops of
wire and is therefore more sensitive. The coil is moumed for movement, and the
m agnet is held stationary. The coil turns against a spring, so the greater the cur-
• rem in its windings, the greater its deflection. A galvanometer may be calibrated
to measure current (amperes), in which case it is called an ammeter, or it may
be calibrated to measure electric potential (volts), in which case it is called a
voltmeter (Figure 7.42).
FIGURE 7 . 42
Both the ammeter and rhe volrmeter are basically galvanometers. (The electrical resist-
ance of the instrument is designed to be very low for the ammeter and very high for the
galvano meter.)
CHAPTER 7 ELE CTRIC ITY A ND MAGNET IS M 169
In Figure 7.43, we see rhe principie of rhe elecuic motor in bare outline. A 1
permanent magnet produces a magnetic field in a region where a rectangular
Rotat i ng loop
loop of wire is mounted to rurn about the axis shown by rhe dashed line. When
a current passes rh rough the loop, ir flows in opposite directions in the upper
and lower sides of the loop. (Ir must do rhis because, if charge flows inro one
end of the loop, ir must flow out the other end.) If the upper portion of rhe loop
is forced to the lefr, then rhe lower porrion is forced ro the right, as if ir were a
galvanomerer. But, unlike a galvanometer, the current is reversed during each
half revolution by means of stationary contacts on rhe shaft. The parts of the
wire that brush against rhese conracrs are called brushes. In rhis way, rhe cur- F 1G U R E 7 . 4 3 /"""'•
rent in the loop alternares so that rhe forces in rhe upper and lower regions do INTERACTIVE FIGURE, (~
not change directions as the loop rotares. The rotation is continuous as long as A simple motor.
current is supplied.
We have described here only a very simple de motor.
In larger morors, de or ac, the permanent magnet is usu- Electrical output
n the early 1800s, when electricity and magnetism were topics of much
F I GURE 7 . 46
Volcage is induced in the wire loop
whether the magnetic field moves
past che wire or che wire moves
through rhe magneric field .
as many loops induces ten times as much voltage; and so on. Electromagnetic
induction can be summarized by Faraday's law:
MasteringPhysics• The induced voltage in a coil is proportional to the number of loops
VIDEO: Faraday's Law multiplied by the rate at which the magnetic field changes within
VIDEO: Applications of those loops.
Electromagnetic lnduction
We have mentioned two ways in wh ich voltage can be induced in a loop
of wire: by moving the loop near a magnet and by moving a m agnet near the
loop. There is a third way: by changing the current in a nearby loop. All chree
of these ways have the same essential ingredient- a changing magnetic field in
the loop.
The amount of current produced by electromagnecic induction depends on
che resiscance of che coil and che circuir it connects, as well as the induced
voltage.
Electromagnetic induction explains che induction of voltage in a wire, as we
have seen. H owever, che more basic concept of fields is at che root of rhe ind uced
voltages and currents we observe in coils. T he modern view of electromagnetic
induction is that electric and magnetic fields are induced-and these in turn
produce the voltages we have considered. So, induction occurs whether or not a
conducting wire or any material medium is present. In chis more general sense,
Faraday's law states:
An electric field is induced in any region of space in which a magnetic
field is changing with time.
T here is a second effect, an extension of Faraday's law. lt is che same except
chat the roles of electric and m agnetic fields are interchanged. It is one of na-
ture's many symmetries. This effect, which was introduced by British physicist
James Clerk Maxwell in about 1860 is know n as Maxwell's counterpart to
Faraday's law:
A magnetic field is induced in any region of space in which an electric
field is changing with time.
FIGURE 7 . 47
W hen a magnet is plunged inro a coi!
wirh rwice as many loops as another,
rwice as much volrage is induced.
If rhe m agner is plunged inro a coi!
wit h th ree times as many loops, rhree
rimes as much volrage is induced.
CHAPTER 7 ELECTRI CITY ANO MAGNETISM 171
In each case, rhe strengrh of rhe induced field is proporrional to the rates of
change of the inducing field. The induced electric and magnetic fields are at
right angles to each other.
Maxwell saw the link between electromagnetic waves and light.* If electric Two centuries ago people got light
charges are set into vibration in rhe range of frequencies thar match rhose of from whale oil. Whales should be
light, waves are produced that are light! Maxwell discovered rhar light is simply glad that humans discovered how
electromagnetic waves in the range of frequencies to which che eye is sensitive. to harness electricity!
You will learn much more about electromagnetic waves in rhe next chapter.
Electromagnetic Induction che changing of che traffic lights. Similarly, when you walk
chrough che upright coils in che securiry system at an airport,
in Everyday Technologies any metal you carry slighrly altees the magnetic field in che
We see electromagnetic induccion all around us. On che coils. This change induces voltage, which sounds an alarm.
road, we see ir operare when we drive over buried coils of When che magnetic strip on che back of a credit card is
wire to activare a nearby rraffic light. When the iron parts scanned, induced voltage pulses idencify rhe card. Eleccro-
of a car move over che buried coils, che effecc ofEarch's m agnecic induccion is everywhere. As we shall see in che next
magnecic field is changed, which induces a volcage ro crigger chapter, it underlies che electromagnetic waves we cal! light.
* On rhe eve of his discovery, srory has ir rhat Maxwell had a date wich a young woman he was
later co marry. While walking in a garden, his date remarked abour che beaucy and wonder of che
scars. Maxwell asked how she would (eel to know rhar she was walking wich rhe only person in che
world who knew whac srarlighc really was. And rhar was rrue. Ar rhar time, James Clerk Maxwell
was che only person in rhe world who .knew char light of any kind is energy carried in waves of
elecrric and magneric fields char concinuously regenerare each other.
1 172 PART ONE PHYS I CS
Alternating current (ac) An elecrric currenr chac repearedly Electromagnet A magnec whose field is produced by an elec-
reverses irs direcrion; rhe electric charges vibrare abouc rric currenc. Ir is usually in che fo rm of a wire coil w irh a
relacively fixed posirions, 60 H z in che Uniced Scaces. piece of i ron inside che coil.
Conductor Any material having free charged parcicles chac Electromagnetic induction The induccion of volcage when a
easily flow chrough ir when an electrical force accs on magnetic field changes wich time.
chem. Faraday's law An elecrric field is induced in any region of
Coulomb The SI unir of elecrric charge. One coulomb space in which a magnetic field is changing wich rime.
(symbol C) is equal in magnitude to che total charge of The magnitude of che induced elecrric field is propor-
6.25 X 10 18 electrons. cional to che rare ar which che magnecic field changes.
Coulomb's law T he relacionship among force, charge, and The direccion of rhe induced field is ac righc angles to the
disca nce: changi ng magnetic field.
lnsulator Any material with very lircle or no free charged
F = kq 1q2 parricles a nd through which currenr does noc easily flow.
d2
Magnetic domains C luscercd regions of aligned magnecic
If che charges are alike in sign, rhe force is repelling; if aroms. W hen rhese region s chemselves are aligned
che charges are unlike, rhe force is attracrive. wirh one anorher, rhe subsrance concaining rhem is a
Direct current (de) An eleccric currenc chac flows in one magner.
direccion only. Magnetic field The region of magnecic influence around a
Electric current A flow of charged parricles rhar cransports magneric pole or around a moving charged parricle.
energy from one place to anocher, measured in amperes, Magnetic force (1) Berween magners, it is che acrracrion of
where 1 A is che flow of 6.25 X 10 18 eleccrons per sec- unlike magnetic poles for each ocher and che repulsion
ond, or 1 coulomb per second. between like rnagnecic poles. (2) Becween a magneric
Electric field D efined as force per unir charge, ir can be con- field anda moving charge, ic is a deflecting force due ro
sidered an energeric aura surrounding charged objecrs. che motion of che charge; che deflcccing force is perpen-
Abouc a charged poi ne, che field decreases with di scance dicular to che velocity of che ch argc and perpendicular ro
according to rhe inverse-square law, like a gravicacional che magnetic field lines.
field. Becween opposicely charged parallel places, che elec- Maxwell's counterpart to Faraday's law A magneric field is
tric field is uniform. induced in any region of space in which an elecrric field
Electric potential The elecrric potencial energy per amounc is changing wich time.
of charge, measured in volrs, and often called voltage: Ohm's law The amounc of currenr in a circuir varíes in direcc
proporrion to che potencial difference or volcage and
eleccric potencial energy inversely with che resiscance:
Elecrric potencial = - - - - -- - - -
charge
volcage
Electric potential energy The energy a charge possesses by Current = - - -=--
resistance
vircue of ics location in an electric field.
Electric power The rate of energy transfer, or rate of doing Parallel circuit An eleccric circuir wich cwo or more devices
work; che amounc of energy per unic rime, which can be connected in such a way chac che same volcage accs across
measured by che produce of currenc and volcage: each one, and any single one completes che circuir inde-
pendencly of ali che others.
Power = current X volcage Potential difference The difference in eleccric potencial
Eleccric power is measured in watts (or in ki lowaccs). between two points, measured in volrs; ofcen called volt-
age difference.
Electrical resistance The properry of a material rhat resises
che flow of elecuic charge chrough ic; measured in ohms Semiconductor A material that can be made ro behave
(fl ). sometimes as an insulator and sometimes as a conductor.
Electrically polarized D escription of an atom or molecule Series circuit An electric circuir with devices connected in
in w hich che charges are aligned so char one side has a such a way chac che same electric currenc exists in all
slighc excess of posicive charge and che ocher side a slighr ofthem.
excess of negarive charge.
CHAPTER 7 ELECTRICITY ANO MAGNE T ISM 173
7A-Electric Shock rhe currem might be large enough to bum your flesh.
31. High voltage by itself does not produce electric shock. Explain.
What does?
32. What is rhe source of the elecrrons rhat shock you 78- Earth's Magnetic Field and the Ability of
when you touch a charged conductor? Organisms to Sense lt
33. If a currenc of one-tench or two-tenchs of an ampere 34. People have wondered about che "mystery" of animal
were ro flow into one of your hands and out rhe other, migration for generations. Give one possible, very general
you would probably be elecuocuted. But if the same cur- explanation as to how a nimals find their way during
rem were to flow imo your hand and out ar rhe elbow migration.
above rhe same hand, you could survive, even though 35. W hat is rhe likely cause ofEarch's magnetic field?
36. An electric cell is made by placing rwo piares of dif- your tongue. The slighr tingl e you feel and che metal-
ferenr materials that have differem affinities for electrons lic taste you experience resulr from a small currem of
in a conducring solution. You can make a simple 1.5-V elecrricity pushed by rhe cirrus cell through che paper
cell by placing a strip of copper and a strip of zinc in a clip and che wire when you r moist tongue doses the
tumbler of salr water. T he voltage of a cell depends on circuir.
the materials and the solution they are placed in, nor the 37. An iron bar can be magnerized easily by aligning
size of the piares. A battery is actually a series of cells. it with rhe magnetic field lines of Earth and srriking
it lighdy a few times with a hammer. This works best
Paper clip if the bar is tilred down to match rhe dip of Earch 's
~".; =::
'--~ . . j
Copper wire
magnetic field. The hammering josdes the magnetic
domains in the bar so that they can fall incoa better
alignmenc with Earth's magnetic field. The bar can be
demagnetized by srriking it when it is orienced in an
east-west direction.
38. Text or write a letter to Grandma and convince her
An easy cell to construct is che lemon cell. Stick a that whatever electric shocks she may have received over
straighrened paper clip and a piece of copper wire into the years have been due to che movemenc of electrons
a lemon. Hold the ends of rhe paper clip and rhe wire already in her body- not electrons coming from some-
close together, but not touching, and place rhe ends on where else.
' q1q2 41. W hen you touch your fingers (resistance 1000 .fl) to
Coulomb s law: F = k ---;J2 the terminals of a 6-V battéry, show that the small current
moving through your fingers is 0.006 A.
39. TWO point charges, each with 0.1 e of charge, are 42. Calculare the currem in the 240-.fl filamem of a
0.1 m aparr. Given that k is 9 X 109 N · m2 / C 2 (the pro- bulb connected to a 120-V line.
portionality constant for Coulomb's law), show that the
force between the charges is 9 X 109 N. Power = W
43. An electric toy draws 0.5 A from a 120-V oudec.
Ohm's law: I =; Show that the toy consumes 60 W of power.
44. Show that the power consumed by a 120-V device
40. A toaster h as a heating element of 15 .fl and is.con- rhar draws 5 A of currem is 500 W.
nected to a 120-V outlec. Show rhat the currenc drawn by
the toaster is 8 A.
CHAPTER 7 ELEC TRI CITY AND MAGNETISM 175
45. The three pairs of metal same-size spheres have dif- 47. The bulbs in circuits A, B, and C are idencical. An
ferent charges on their surfaces as indicated. Each pair is ammeter is placed in d ifferent locarions, as shown. Rank
brought together, allowed to touch, and then separated. the currenc read ings in the ammeter from grearest to
Rank from greatest to least the total amouncs of charge leas t.
on the pai rs of spheres after separarion.
80 80 8 0
A B C
46. Rank ci rcuits A, B, and C according to che bright-
ness of the identical bulbs, from brightest to dimmest.
55. With respecc to forces, how are electric charge and 59. Suppose chat the strengrh of che electric field around an
mass alike? H ow are they different? isolated point charge has a certain value at a distance of 1 m.
56. W hen combing your hair, you scuff eleccrons from How will the electric fidd m ength compare at a distance of
your h air omo che comb. Is your hair chen posit ively or 2 m from rhe point charge? W har law guides your answer?
negatively charged? How a~out che comb? 60. W hy is a good conductor of elecrricity also a good
57. T he 5000 billion billion freely moving electrons in conductor of heat?
a penny repel one another. Why don't t hey fly out of rhe 61. When a ca r is moved into a painting chamber, a mist
penny? of paint is sprayed arou nd it. When rhe body of the car
58. Two equal charges exert equal forces on each other. is given a sudden electric charge and the mist of paint is
What if one charge has twice i:he magn itude of anocher? attracted to ir, presto-che car is quickly and uniformly
How do rhe forces rhey exerr ~n each other compare? painted. W hat does che phenomenon of polarization have
to do with this?
176 PART ONE PHYSICS
62. Wi ll che currenc in a lighcbulb connecced to a 220-V 67. Why mighc che wingspans ofbirds be a considera-
source be greacer or less chan che currenc in che same cion in determining che spacing between parallel wires on
bulb when it is connecced to a 110-V source? power poles?
63. A re automobile headlights wired in parallel or in 68. As more and more bulbs are connecced in series to a
series? Whac is your evidence? flash light banery, whac h appens ai che brighcness of each
64. A car's headlights dissipace 40 W on low beam and bulb? Assuming chac heacing inside che batcery is negli-
50 W on high beam. Is chere more resiscance or less gible, whac happens to che brighmess of each bu lb when
resistance in che high-beam filament? more and more bulbs are connecced in parallel?
65. To connecc a pair of resistors so that their equivalem 69. Since every iron acom is a tiny magnec, why aren't ali
resiscance will be greacer 1 ./ things made of iron also magnecs?
th an che resistance of either 70. What surrounds a scationary electric charge? A mov-
one, should you connect ing electric charge?
them in series or in parallel?
A 7 1. A scrong magnet attraccs a paper clip to itself wich
66. In che circuir shown, a cercain force. Does che paper clip exert a fo rce on che
how do che brightnesses of strong magnet? If noc, why noc? Tf so, does it exert as
che individual bulbs compare? much force on che m agnec as che magnet exerts on ir?
W h ich light bulb draws che Defend your answers.
mosc current? W hat will hap- 72. Residencs of norchern Canada are bombarded by
pen if bulb A is unscrewed? If more intense cosmic radiation t han are residencs of
e
bulb is unscrewed? M exico. W hy?
73. An eleccroscope is a simple device con- 77. Oiscuss che circuits shown. In which of these circuits
sisting of a metal ball that is attached by a does a current exisc to light che bulb?
conductor to cwo thin leaves of metal foil
protecced from air disturbances in a jar, as
shown. W hen che ball is couched by a charged
body, che leaves, which normally hang straighc -.... 1
dow n, spread apare. W hy?
74. If you place a free eleccron and a free procon in che
same electric field, how will che forces acting on them
compare? How will their accelerations compare? How
will their directions of cravel compare?
78. Sometimes you hear someone say chat a particular
75. You are not harmed by concact with a charged metal appliance "uses up" eleccricity. W hat is it chat che
ball, even chough its voltage may be very high. Is che appliance accually uses up, and whac becomes of ic?
reason for chis similar to che reason you are noc harmed
79. Wai Tsan Lee shows .....----·
by che sparks from a Fourth-of-July sparkler, even rhough
iron nails thac have become
che cemperature of each of those sparks is h igher rhan
induced magnets. Is che
lOOOºC? Oiscuss and defend your answer in terms of che
physics of chis sicuacion
energies that are involved.
similar to chac of che scick-
76. Lillian is charged to sorne 50,000 V bue is unharmed. ing balloon in Figure 7.5?
H er hair, however, stands out. W hy is she noc h armed, Oiscuss a nd defend your
and why does her hair stand out? answer.
80. Can an eleccron ar resc
in a magnecic field be
set into motion by che
magnecic field? Whac if ir
were ar rest in an eleccric
field?
81. A magician places an
aluminum ring on a cable,
underneach which is hidden an eleccromagnec. W hen che
magician says "abracadabra" (and pushes a switch chac
scarcs currenc flowing chrough che coi! under che table),
che ri ng jumps imo che air. Oiscuss and explain his
"trick."
CHAPTER 7 ELECTR ICITY AND MAGNETISM 177
Waves-
Sound and
Light
S
8 .1 Vibrations and Waves o u N D 1 s the only thing we can really
TECHNOlOGY
Broadcasting Radio Waves hear, as young violinists Michelle
8 .2 Wave Motion and Miriam remind us. But what is
MATH CONNECTION sound? And light is the only thing we can
Frequency and Wave Speed
really see. But what is light? You may know
8 .3 Transverse and Longitud inal Waves
that light is an electromagnetic wave and that
8 .4 The Nature of Sound
INTEGRATED SCIENC E 8A BIOLOGY it is part of the electromagnetic spectrum-a
Sensing Pitch
continuum of waves including X-rays, radio
8.5 Resonance
waves, microwaves, and others. Where do
8 .6 The Nature of Light
electromagnetic waves come from? What are
8. 7 Reflection
their properties? Do electromagnetic waves
8 .8 Transparent and Opaque Materials
of various lengths really permeate our envi-
8. 9 Color
INTEGRATED SC IENCE 88 BIOlOGY
ronment like vibrating strands of invisible
Mixing Colored Lights spaghetti? Sound, like light, is a wave phe-
8 . 1 O Refraction
nomenon. How do sound waves differ from
8 . 11 Diffraction
light waves? Does che speed of sound differ
8 .12 lnterference
in different materials? Can sound travel in a
8 .13 The Doppler Effect
vacuum? Can one sound wave cancel another,
TECHNOLOGY
Antinoise Technology so that two loud noises combine to make zero
INTEG RATE D SCIENCE se ASTRONOMY
The Doppler Effect and the Expanding Universe noise? Are there technological applications for
8 .14 The Wave-Particle Duality this idea? Many things vibrate-from musical
instrumenrs to atoms to vocal chords-and
when doing so, they produce waves. Waves,
the subject of this chapter, are everywhere!
CHAPTER 8 WAVES-SOUND AND LIG HT 179
A
nything- from your vocal chords to a pendulum-that moves back and
forth, to and fro, in and out, or up and clown is vibrating. A vibration is
a wiggle. A wiggle that travels is a wave. A wave extends from one loca-
tion to another. Light and sound are both vibrations that propagare throughout MasteringPhysicsº
TUTORIAL: Víbrations and Waves
space as waves, but waves of two very different kinds. Sound is the propagation of
mechanical vibrations through a material medium-a salid, a liquid, or a gas. If
there is no medium to vibrare, then no sound is possible. Sound cannot rravel in
a vacuum. But light can, because light is a vibration of nonmaterial elecrric and
magnetic fields-a vibration of pure energy. Although ligh t can pass through
many materials, it <loes not require a material. This is evident when light propa- UNIFYING CONCEPT
gares through the near vacuum between the Sun and Earth . • Waves
The relationship between a vibration and a wave is shown in Figure 8.1. A
marking pen on a bob attached to a vertical spring vibrares up and clow n and
traces a waveform on a sh eet of paper that is moved horizontally ac conscant
speed. The waveform is actually a sine curve, a graph ical representation of a wave.
Like a water wave, the high points of a sine wave are called crests and the low
poims are rhe troughs. The straighr dashed line represenrs rhe "home" posirion, or
midpoint, of the vibration. The term amplitude refers to the distance from the
Waves carry energy, as anyone who
midpoint to the crest (or to the trough) of the wave. So the amplitude equals the has w itn essed a pounding ocean
maximum displacement from equilibrium. Waves carry energy from one place w ave upon the shore can see.
to another. The amount of energy a wave carries depends on its amplitude. The
larger the amplitude of a wave, che more energy ic has.
The wavelength of a wave is che discance from the top of one crest to the top
of the next crest or, equivalently, the distance between successive identical parts
of the wave. T he wavelengths of waves at the beach are measured in meters, the
wavelengths of ripples in a pond in cemimeters, and the wavelengths of light in
billionrhs of a meter (nanometers). Ali waves have a vibrating source.
How frequently a vibration occurs is described by its frequency. The frequency
of a vibrating pendulum, or of an object on a spring, specifies the number of to-
and-fro vibrations it makes in a given time (usually in 1 second). A complete
ro-and-fro osci llation is one vibration. If the oscillacion occurs in one second, the
frequency is one vibration per second. If two vibrations occur in one second, the
frequency is two vibrations per second.
The unic of frequency is called che hertz (H z), after H einrich H ertz, who
demonstrated the existence of radio waves in 1886. One vibration per second is
1 hertz, two vibrations per second is 2 hertz, and so on. Higher frequencies are
measured in kilohertz (kHz) and still higher frequencies in megahertz (MHz).
F 1G U RE 8 • 1 /"""4•
INTERACTIVE FIGURE, (~
W hen the bob vibrates up and clown,
a marking pen traces out a sine curve
on paper that is moved horizonrally
ar consranr speed.
180 PART ONE PHYSICS
The period of a wave or vibration is the rime ir takes for a complete vibration-
for a complete cycle. Period can be calculared from frequency, and vice versa.
Suppose, for example, that a pendulum makes two vibrarions in one second.
lts frequency is 2 Hz. The rime needed to complete one vibration- thar is, the
period of vibrarion- is ~ second. O r, if the vibration frequency is 3 H z, then the
t
period is second. The frequency and period are the inverse of each other:
1 1
Frequency = - -.-d- or, vice versa, Period = - - - -
pen o frequency
CHECK YOURSELF
1. An electric razor completes 60 cydes every second. {a) What is its fre-
quency? (b) What is its period?
A wave t ransfers energy without
2. Gusts of wind cause the Willis Tower in Chicago to sway back and forth,
t ransfer ring matter. lf matter were
to move along w ith the energy completing a cyde every 10 seconds. {a) What is its frequency? {b) What
in a wave, the oceans would b e is its period?
emptied as ocean w aves travel to
the shore.
CHECK YOUR ANSWERS
1. (a) 60 cycl es p er second, or 60 Hz. (b) to second.
2. (a) ,1o Hz. (b) 10 seconds.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Describe how energy is carried in
l :fl Wave Motion
w aves .
E X P LA 1N T H 1s How does wave speed relate to frequency and wavelength?
I
f you drop a stone in to a calm pond, waves will travel outward in expanding
circles. Energy is carried by the wave, rraveling from one place to another.
The water itself goes nowhere. T his can be seen by waves encountering a
floating leaf. The leaf bobs up and down, but ir doesn't rravel with rhe waves.
The waves move along, not the water. The same is true of waves of wind over a
field of tall grass on a gusty day. Waves rravel across the grass, while the indi-
vidual grass plants remain in place; instead, rhey sw ing to and fro berween defi-
nite limits, but they go nowhere. When you speak, wave motion rhrough rhe
air travels across rhe room ar about 340 meters per second. T he air itself doesn't
rravel across rhe room ar this speed. In these examples, when rhe wave motion
FIGURE 8 . 2 ceases, the water, the grass, and die air return to their inicial positions. Ir is char-
W ater waves. acrerisric of wave morion thar the medium rransporring the wave returns ro irs
CHAPTER 8 WAVES-SOU ND AN D LIGHT 181
initial condition after the discurbance has passed. Putting all the information Wavelength
about waves together, we can now specifically define what a wave is: A wave is a
disturbance that travels from one place to another transporting energy, but not
necessarily matter, along with it.
Wave Speed
T he speed of periodic wave motion is related to the frequency and wavelength of
the waves. Consider the simple case of water waves (Figures 8.2 and 8.3). Imag-
ine that we fix our eyes on a stationary point on the water's surface and observe
the waves passing by that poim. We can measure how much time passes becween FIGURE 8 . 3
the arrival of one crest and the arrival of the next one (the period), and we can A top view of water waves.
also observe the distance between crests (the wavelength). We know that speed is
defined as distance divided by time. In this case, the distance is one wavelength
and the time is one period, so wave speed = wavelength/period.
For example, if the wavelength is 10 meters and the time between cresrs at a
point on the surface is 0.5 second, then the wave is traveling 10 meters in 0.5 sec-
ond and its speed is 10 meters divided by 0.5 second, or 20 meters per second. The speed of light waves in a vac-
uum, approximately 3.0 x 108 m/ s
Since period is equal to the inverse of frequency, the formula wave speed =
and denoted as e, is nature's speed
wavelength/ period = wavelength X frequency. We usually say: limit . No material objects in the
universe travel faster t han this.
Wave speed = frequency X wavelength
This relationship applies to ali kinds of waves, whether they are water waves,
sound waves, or light waves.
FIGURE 8 . 4 ,,........
INTERACTIVE FIGURE,._ (~
If the wavelength is 1 m, and one
v= 1 m/s wavelengch per second passes che
pole, chen the speed of the
wave is 1 m/s.
F
asten one end of a rope to a wall and hold the free end in your hand. Ifyou
MasteringPhysics" shake the free end up and clown, you will produce vibrations that are ar
VIDEO: Longitudinal vs. right angles to che direction of wave rravel. T he righc-angled , or sideways,
Transverse Waves mocion is called transverse motion. This type of wave is called a transverse w ave.
Waves in che strecched srrings of musical inscrumencs are transverse waves. We
will see lacer thac eleccromagnetic waves, such as radio waves and light waves, are
also transverse waves.
A longitudinal wave is one in which che direction of wave travel is along the
direction in which che source vibrares. A Slinky w ich one end fastened to a wall
nicely illustrates chis. Shake che Slinky back and forth along its long axis and you
produce a longitudinal wave (Figure 8.5). T he vibrations are then parallel to che
direction of energy rransfer. Part of che Slinky is compressed, and a wave of com-
pression travels along it. In between successive compressions is a strerched region,
called a rarefaction. Both cornpressions and rarefactions cravel in che same direc-
cion along che Slinky. Togecher they make up che longitudinal wave. You produce
a rransverse wave when you shake che Slinky up and clown.
~·
(a)~~íJa)~
FIGURE 8 . 5
INTERACTIVE FIGURE~ (~
Both waves transfer energy from left
ro righr. (a) When the end of rhe i-- Wavelength --'
Slinky is pushed and pulled rapidly 1 1
along its length, a longitudinal wave
is produced. (b) When its end is
(b)
shaken up and down (or from side to
side), a rransverse wave is produced.
º" Q ,,
f (.
O o
·º o
.,o · ·. o
T hink of che ai r molecules in a room as ciny, randomly moving Ping-
Pong balls. If you vibrare a Ping-Pong paddle in che rnidst of che halls,
you'll set them vibrating to and fro (Figure 8.6). T he balls w ill vibrate
in rhythm w ith your vibrating paddle. In sorne regions, they will be momentar-
ily bunched up (compressions), and in ocher region s in becween, chey w ill be
o .º"
o
Q.
\'\ º·º°"º
. "º .o
mornentarily spread out (rarefactions). T he vibracing prongs of a tuning fork do
che sarne co air molecules. Vibrations made up of compressions and rarefactions
spread from che tuning fork chroughouc che air, and a sound wave is prod uced
--~
)j "º (Figure 8.7).
T he wavelength of a sound wave is che disrance becween successive com-
FIGURE 8 . 6
If you vibi:are a Ping-Pong paddle in pressions or, equivalencly, che distance between successive rarefactions. Each
the midst of a lot of Ping-Pong balls, molecule in che air vibrares to and fro abouc sorne equilibrium position as che
rhe balls will vibrare also. waves move by.
CHA PTE R 8 WAVES-SOUND AND LIGHT 183
Compressions --.....___
,.--- ' """ ~
FIGUR E 8 . 7
Compressions and rarefacrions travel (both ar the same speed and in rhe same
direccion) from che cuning fork chrough che air in the rube.
Sensing Pitch
EXPLAI N TH 1s How <loes pitch relate to the frequency of sound?
O
ur subjective impression about the frequency of sound is described
as pitch. A high-pitched sound, like the sound from a tiny bell, has a
high vibration frequency. The sound from a large bell has a low pitch
because its vibrations are of a low frequency.
The human ear can normally hear pitches from sounds ranging from about
20 hertz to about 20,000 hertz. As we age, this range shrinks. Sound waves
with frequencies lower than 20 hertz are called infrasonic waves, and those In hospitals, concentrated b eams
with frequencies higher than 20,000 hertz are called uftrasonic waves. We of ultrasound are used to break
up kidney stones and gallstones,
cannot hear infrasonic or ultrasonic sound waves, but dogs and sorne other eli minating the need for surgery.
animals can.
H earing any sound occurs because air molecules next to a vibrating object are
themselves set into vibration. T hese molecules, in turn, vibrate against neighboring
molecules, which, in turn, do the same, and so on. As a resulc, rhythmic patterns
of compressed and rarefied air emanate from che sound source. The resulting
vibrating air sets your eardrum into vibration, which, in turn, sends cascades of
rhythmic electrical impulses along nerves in the cochlea of your inner ear and
into the brain. Thus, when you hear a high-pitched sound, a high-f~equency wave
from a quickly vibrating source sets your eardrum in to fast vibration. Bass guitars,
foghorns, and deep-throated bullfrogs vibrate slowly, making low-pitched waves
that set your eardrums into slow vibration.
Most sound is transmitted through air, but any elastic substance-solid, liq-
uid, or gas- can transmit sound.* Air is a poor conductor of sound compared
with solids and liquids. You can hear che sound of a distant train d early by plac-
ing your ear against che ~<tH· W hen swimming, have a friend at a distance dick
two rocks cogerher beneath che surface of the water while you are submerged.
You will experience how well water conduces the sound.
• An elascic substance is "springy," has resilience, and can cransm ic energy wich lictle loss. Sceel, for
example, is elastic, whereas lead and putty are noc.
184 PAR T ONE PHYSICS
CHECK VOURSE L F
1. A singer sings a hig h-pitched note and t hen a low-pitched note. For
which note are her vocal chords vibrating more rapidly? For which note
Sound requires a medium. lt can't
travel in a vacuum because t hen is your eardrum vibrating more rapidly? Which note sets the air into
there's nothing t o compress and higher-frequency vibrations?
stretch. 2. Which would you consider to be sound w aves- infrasonic or ultrasonic
w aves?
Speed of Sound
Small fract al antennas have If, from a distance, we watch a person chopping wood or hammering, we can easily
rep laced the long antennas of see that the blow occurs a noticeable time before its sound reaches our ears. We often
mobile phones. The fract al antenna, hear thunder seconds after we see a flash of lighming. These common experiences
like other fractals, has a shape that
show that sound requires time to rravel from one place to another. The speed of
repeats itself. In any fractal, sim ilar
shapes appear at all levels of magni- sound depends on wind conditions, temperature, and humidity. lt does not depend
fication. Common fracta ls in nature on the loudness or the frequency of the sound; all sounds travel at the same speed
include snowflakes, shorelines, and in a given medium. T he speed of sound in dry air at Oº C is about 330 meters per
even cauliflower and broccoli. Due second, which is nearly 1200 kilometers per hour. Water vapor in the air increases
to its folded, self-similar design, a
chis speed slighdy. Sound also travels faster through warm air than cold air. This is to
fracta l antenna can be compressed
into a small space and be built into be expected because the faster-moving molecules in warm air bump into each other
the body of the phone. Yum to t his more frequendy and, therefore, can transmit a pulse in less time.** For each degree
technology. rise in temperature above OºC, rhe speed of sound in air increases by 0.6 mecer per
second. T hus, in air at a normal room temperature of about 20ºC, sound travels at
about 340 meters per second. In water, sound speed is about four times its speed in
air; in steel, it's about 15 times its speed in air.
CHECK YOURSELF
1. Do compressions and rarefactions in a sound wave t ravel in the same
di rection or in opposite directions from one another?
2. Approximately how fa r away is a thunderstorm when you note a 3-s
delay between the flash of lightning and the sound o f thunder?
**The speed of sound in a gas is abouc ~ che average speed of ics molecules.
CHAPTER 8 WAVES-SO UND AND LIGHT 185
I
f you srrike an unmounted runing fork, its sound is rather faint. Repear
with the handle of the runing fork held agai nsr a table afcer srriking ir, and
the sound is louder. This is because the table is forced to vibrare, and irs
larger surface sets more air in motion. The table is forced into vibrarion by a
fork of any frequency. This is an exam ple of forced vibration. The vibration of
a factory floor caused by the running of heavy machinery is another example of
forced vibration. A more pleasing example is rhe sounding boards of stringed
instruments.
If you drop a wrench and a baseball bar onto a concrete floor, you can easily
norice the difference in their sounds. This is because each vibrates differently
when it strikes the floor. T he objects are not forced to vibrate at a particular
frequency, but, instead, each vibrares at its own characreristic frequency. Any
object composed of an elastic material will, when disrurbed, vi brare at its own
special set of frequencies, which together form its special sound. We speak of an
object's natural frequency, which depends on such factors as the elasticiry and
che shape of rhe object. Bells and tuning forks, of course, vibrare ar rheir own
characreristic frequencies. Imerestingly, most rh ings, from atoms to planets and
almost everything else in between, h ave a springiness to rhem, and they vibrate
at one or more natural frequencies.
FIGURE 8 . 8
W hen rhe frequency of forced vibracions on an object marches che object's Each time Bay Johnson strikes a
natural frequency, a d ramaric increase in amplirude occurs. This phenomenon piano key, a string in che piano is
is called resonance. Purry doesn't resonare because it isn't elastic, and a dropped tapped. Piano strings for low notes
handkerch ief is too limp to resonate. In order for something to resonare, ir needs are heavier, have more inertia, and
vibrare ata lower frequency-a lower
both a force to pull ir back to irs srarring posirion and enough energy to maintain
pitch than lighrer strings of rhe same
its vibration. string tension. Loudness involves
Resonance is not rescricted to wave motion. Ir occurs whenever successive how hard the keys are struck, which
impulses are applied ro a vibrating objecr in rhychm w ith its natural frequency. affects che amplitudes of che vibrat-
Cavalry rroops marching across a foorbridge near Manchesrer, England, in 1831 ing suings. The touch sensitivity of
che piano distinguishes ir from earlier
inadverrently caused rhe bridge to collapse when they marched in rhychm with
keyboard instruments such as the
che bridge's natural frequency. Since then, ir has been customary to order troops harpsichord.
to "break step" when crossing bridges. A more recent bridge disaster was caused
by wind-generated resonance, as shown in Figure 8.9.
FIGURE 8 . 9
In 1940, fo ur months after ir was completed, rhe Tacoma Narrows Bridge in the state of
Washington was destroyed by win"d-generated resonance. A mild gale produced a fluctu-
ating force in resonance with the natural frequency of the bridge, steadily increasing the
amplitude until the bridge collapséd.
--
186 PART ONE PHYSICS
D
uring the day, the primary source of light is che Sun. O ther common
sources are flames, white-hot filaments in lightbulbs, and glowing gases in
glass rubes. What chese sources emit, and what we perceive as light, are
electromagnetic waves with frequencies that fall within a certain range. Recall
from Chapter 7 that an electromagnetic wave is a wave of energy p roduced
when an electric charge oscillates (Figure 8.10). Light is on ly a tiny part of a
larger whole- the wide range of electromagnetic waves called che electromag-
netic spectrum (Figure 8.11).
Light originares from che accelerated motion of electrons. If you shake che end
FIGURE 8 . 10 of a stick back and forth in still water, you'll create waves on che water's surface.
If you shake an electrically charged Similarly, if you shake an electrically charged rod to and fro in empty space,
objecr ro and fro, you produce an you' ll create electromagnetic waves in space. This is because che moving charge
electromagnetic wave.
on che rod is an electric current. Recall from Chapter 7 that a magnetic field sur-
rounds an electric current and che field changes as the current changes. Recall
also that a changing magnetic field induces an electric field-eleccromagnetic
induction. And what does the changing electric field do? It induces a changing.
magnetic field. The vibrating eleccric and magnetic fields regenerare each other
Light is the on ly thing we see. to make up an electromagnetic wave (Figure 8.12).
Sound is the only t hing we hear.
In a vacuum, ali electromagnetic waves move at the same speed- the speed of
light, 300,000 kilometers per second. We call chis speed of light c. T hese waves
FIGURE 8 . 11 ,,-....
INTERACTIVE FIGURE"'- (~
The electromagnetic speccrum is a continuous range of eleccromagnetic waves extend-
ing from radio waves ro gamma rays. The descriptive na mes of che sections are merely a
historical classification because ali che waves are the same in namre, d iffering principally in
frequency and wavelength; ali cravel ar che same speed.
CHA PTE R 8 WAVES-SOUND AND LIGH T 187
Electric
F 1G U RE 8 • 1 2 /""°"'•
field INTERACTIVE FIGURE"" I~
The elec rric and magnecic fi elds of an
eleccromagnecic wave are perpendicular
ro each orher and to che d ireccion of
che wave.
differ from one another in terms of their frequency. Electromagnetic waves have
been detected w ith a frequency as low as 0.01 hertz (H z). O thers, with frequen- Light is energy carried in an
electromagnetic w ave emitted by
cies of severa! thousand hertz (kHz), are classified as low-frequency radio waves. vibrating electrons in atoms. In air,
One million hertz (1 M H z) lies in the middle of the AM radio band . T he very light travels a million times faster
high frequency (VHF) television band of waves begins at about5 0 million hertz than sound.
(MH z), and FM radio frequencies exrend from 88 to 108 MHz. T hen come ul-
trahigh frequencies (UH F), followed by microwaves, beyond which are infrared
waves. Farther still is visible light, which makes up less than a m illionth of 1o/o of
the electromagnetic spectrum.
R~
The lowest frequency of light we can see with our eyes appears red. T he highest
visible frequencies, which are nearly twice the frequency of red light, appear
violet. Still higher frequencies are ultraviolet, wh ich are invisible to the human
eye. These higher-frequency waves are more energetic and can cause sunburns.
Beyond ultraviolec light are che X-ray and gamma-ray regions. T here is no sharp G~
boundary becween regions of the spectrum; they actually grade continuously
into one another. T he spectrum is divided into these arbitrary regions for the
/~ / \\J'r\\ //"\\
I
Violet v
sake of classification.
T he frequency of the electromagnetic wave as it vibrares through space is iden- FIGURE 8 . 13 /""°"'•
INTERACTIVE FIGURE"" I~
tical with the frequency of the oscillating electric charge that generares it. Dif-
Relative wavelengths of red, green ,
ferent frequencies result in different wavelengths -low frequencies produce long
and violet light. Violec light has
wavelengths and high frequencies produce short wavelengths. The higher the nearly twice the frequency of red
frequency of che vibrating charge, the shorter the wavelengch of the radiation.* light and half the wavelength.
CHECK YOURSELF
Are we correct in saying that a radio wave is a low-frequency light wave
and that a radio wave is a sound wave?
*The relationship is e= JA, where e is the speed of light (constant),j is the frequency, and A is
the wavelength. lt is common to describe sound and radio by frequency and light by wavelength .
In this book, however, we'll .use.the single concept of frequency in describing light.
188 PART ONE PH YS IC S
I
f you look carefully at che waves in a swimmi ng pool, you will see rhat
they bounce back when rhey hit che side of che pool. This is an example
of reflection- che rerurning of a wave to che medium from which it ca me
when it strikes a barrier.
1 Water waves reflecc off a surface in much che same way chat
1
a ball bounces back when ir srrikes a surface. When che ball hics
¡, An9le of _ ; Angle of A
"C'1Q-~ inc1dence E1 reflection ~ \'<> a surface and bounces back, che angle of incidence (che angle at
\.~
/'Jt ~, which che ball scrikes che surface) equals che angle of rebound.
ra;- \ ~1 f J ~'(,~'(,e;
\
Waves behave che same way. This is che law of reflection, and
1
it holds for all angles:
The angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence.
Mirror
The law of reflection is illusrrated with light rays (with arrows
FIGURE 8 . 14 ,.-... represencing che direction of light wave travel) in Figure 8.14.
INTERACTIVE FIGURE"- {~ Inscead of measuring che angles of incident and reflected rays
The law of reflection. from che reflecting surface, it is customary to measure chem
from a line perpendicular to che plane of che reflecring surface.
Mirror This imaginary line is called che normal. The incidenr ray, che normal, and che
reflecred ray ali lie in che same plane.
If you place a candle in fronr of a mirror, rays of light radiare from che flame
in all directions. Figure 8.15 shows only four of che infinire number of rays leav-
ing one of che infinice number of poim s on che candle. When these rays meec
che mirror, chey reflecc ar angles equal to their angles of incidence. The rays
diverge from che flame. Note chac chey also diverge when reflecting from che
mirror. These divergent rays appear to emanare from behind che mirror (dashed
FIGURE 8 . 15
lines). You see an image of che candle at chis point. The light rays do noc actually
A virtual image is locaced behind the
mirror and is at che posicion where
come from chis point, so che image is called a virtual image. The image is as far
the extended reflected rays (dashed behind che mirror as che object is in from of che mirror, and image and objecc are
lines) converge. che same size. W hen you view yourself in a mirror, for example, che size of your
FIGURE 8 . 16
Marjorie's image is as far behind che
mirror as she is in from of ir. Note
chat she and her image have che same
!
color of clorhing- evidence that 1
light doesn'c change frequency upon
reflection. lmerestingly, her left- 1
right axis is no more reversed chan 1
her up-and-down axis. The axis thac
is reversed, as shown to che right, is
her from-back axis. That's why .it
appears chat her left hand faces che
l..
- -.:.lo.o
image is the same as the size your rwin would appear to be iflocated as far behind 1
the mirror as you are in front, as long as the mirror is flat.
Only part of the light that strikes a surface is reflected. For example, on a sur-
face of clear glass and for normal incidence (light perpendicular to che surface),
only about 4% is reflected from each surface. On a clean and polished aluminum
or silver surface, however, abour 90% of the incident light is reflected. T he light
that is not reflected by a surface penetrares the surface and is either absorbed there FIGURE 8 . 17
(if the material is opaque) or transmitted- absorbed and reemitted (if the mate- Diffuse reflection. Although reflec-
tion of each si ngle ray obeys the
rial is transparent).
law of ?eflecrion, the many differ-
ent surface angles that the light
rays encoumer in striking a rough
Diffuse Reflection surface produce reflection in ma ny
directions.
When light is incident on a rough or granular surface, the light is reflected in many
directions. This is called dijfuse reflection (Figure 8.17). If the surface is so smooth
that the distances between successive elevarions on the surface are less than about
one-eighth the wavelength of the light, there is very little diffuse reflection and
the surface is said to be polished. A surface therefore FIGURE 8 . 18
may be polished for radiation of long wavelengths The open-mesh parabolic dish is a
but rough for light of short wavelengths. The w ire- d iffuse reflector for short-wavelength
mesh "dish" shown in Figure 8.18 is very rough light but a polished reflector for long-
for light waves and is hardly mirrorlike. But, for wavelength radio waves.
long-wavelength radio waves, it is polished and is
an excellent reflector.
· T his page is smooth to a radio wave, but to a
light wave it is rough, so the light reflecting from
this page is diffuse. Rays oflight suiking this page
encounrer millions of tiny flat surfaces facing in
all directions. The incidenr light, therefore, is
reflected in all directions. T his is a desirable cir-
cumstance. Ir enables us to see this page and other
objecrs from any direction or position . You can see the road ahead of your car at
night, for instance, because of diffuse reflection by che rough road surface. W hen
the road is wet, however, it is smoother with less diffuse reflection and therefore
more difficult to see. Most of our environmenr is seen by diffuse reflecrion.
FIGURE 8 . 19
A magni fied view of che surface of
Reflection of Sound ordi nary paper.
We call the reflection of sound an echo. The fraction of sound energy reflected
from a surface is la rge if the surface is rigid and smooth, bur it is less if the sur-
face is soft and irregular. The sound energy that is not reflected is transmitted
or absorbed.
Sound reflects from a smooth surface in the same way rhat light reflects-the
angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection. Sometimes, when sound
reflects from the walls, ceiling, ~nd floor of a room, the surfaces are too reflec-
tive and the sound becomes garbled. This is due to multiple reflections called
reverberarions. In conrrast, if rhe reflective surfaces are too absorbent, the sound
level is low and the room may sound dull and li feless. Reflected sound in a room
makes it sound lively and full, as you have probably experienced while singing
in rhe shower. In rhe design of an auditorium or concert hall, a balance must be FIGURE 8 . 20
found between reverberarion and absorprion. T he study of sound properties is T he angle of incidem sound is equal
called acoustics. · to che angle of reflected sound.
190 PART ONE PHYSICS
L
ight is energy carried in an electromagnetic wave emitted by vibrating
elecrrons in atoms. W hen light is incidenc upan matter, sorne of the elec-
trons in che matter are forced into vibration. In chis way, vibrations in che
emitter are transformed into vibrations in the receiver. This is similar to che way
in which sound is transmitted (Figure 8.21).
Thus the way a receiving material responds when light is incidenc upan it de-
pends on che frequency of che light and on the natural frequency of the electrons
FIGURE 8 . 21
Jusc as a sound wave can force a sound
receiver into vibracion, a light wave
can force the electrons in macerials )
inco vibracion .
•
in the material. Visible light vibrares at a very high rate, sorne 100 trillion times
per second (1014 hertz). If a charged object is to respond to these ultrafast vibra-
tions, it must have very, very little inercia. Electrons are light enough to vibrate
at this rate.
Such materials as glass and water allow light to pass through them in straight
lines. We say they are transparent to light. To understand how light penetrares a
transparent material, visualize the electrons in an atom as if they were connected
by springs (Figure 8.22).* W hen a light wave is incidenc upon them, the electrons
are set into vibration .
Materials that are sp~ingy (elastk) respond more to vibrations at sorne frequen-
cies than to vibrations at other frequencies. Bells ring at a particular frequency,
tuning forks vibrare at a particular frequency, and so do che electrons of atoms and
FIGURE 8 . 22
T he electrons of atoms have cercain
molecules. The natural vibratlon frequencies of an electron depend on how strongly
nacural frequencies of vibration, and it is attached to its atom or molecule. Different atoms and molecules have differenr
these can be modeled as particles "spring strengths." Electrons in glass have a natural vibration frequency in the ul-
connecced co che acomic nucleus by traviolet range. W hen ultraviolet rays shine on glass, resonance occurs as che wave
springs. As a result, atoms and mol-
builds and maincains a large amplitude of vibration of the electron, just as push-
ecules behave somewhac like opcical
tuning forks.
ing someone at che resonanc frequency on a swing builds a large amplitude. T he
energy that atoms in the glass receive may be passed on to neighboring atoms by
collisions, or che energy may be reemicred. Resonating atoms in the glass can hold
onto the energy of the ultraviolet light far quite a long time (about 100 millionths
* Electrons, of course, are noc really con necced by springs. We simply presenc a "spring model "
of che acom ca help us underscand che inceraccion of lighc and maccer. Sciencists devise such
concepcual models to underscand nacure, particularly ac che submicroscopic leve!. The value of a
model lies noc in whether ir is "crue" but whether ir is useful- in explaining observarions and in
prediccing new ones. If predicrions are concrary to new observacions, chen rhe model is usually
eicher refined or abandoned.
CHAPTER 8 WAVES-SOUND AND LIGHT 191
FIGURE 8.23
A light wave incident upon a pane of
1
glass sets up vibrations in rhe molecules
that produce a chain of absorptions and
reemissions that pass the light energy
chrough the material and out che other
side. Because of the time delay between
absorptions and reemissions, the light
cravels through che glass more slowly
than chrough empty space.
of a second). During this time, rhe atom makes about 1 million vibrations, collides
with neighboring atoms, and transfers absorbed energy as heat. Thus, glass is not
transparem to ultraviolet. Glass absorbs ultraviolet.
At lower wave frequencies, such as rhose of visible light, elecrrons in rhe glass
are forced into vibrations of lower amplitudes. The aroms or molecules in the
glass hold the energy for less rime, with less chance of collision with neighboring
atoms and molecules, and wirh less of the energy being transformed into heat.
The energy of vibrating electrons is reemitted as light. Glass is transparent ro ali
the frequencies of visible light. The frequency of rhe reemitted light rhat is passed
from molecule ro molecule is identical to the frequency of the light that produced
the vibration originally. H owever, there is a slight time delay between absorption
and reemission.
Ir is this time delay that res ults in a lower average speed of light through
a transparent material (Figure 8.23). Light travels ac different average speeds FIGURE 8 . 24
chrough different materials. We say average speeds because the speed of light When a ball hits che array of balls, che
in a vacuum, whether in interstellar sp ace or in che space berween molecules ball chat emerges at che opposite side is
not rhe ball rhat iniciares the transfer
in a piece of glass, is e (a conscant 300,000 km/ sor 186,0 00 mi/s). The speed
of energy. Likewise, light that emerges
of light in the atmosphere is slighcly less than it is in a vacuum, but it is usu- from a pane of glass is not rhe same
ally rounded off as c. In water, light rravels at 75% of its speed in a vacuum, light that was incident on rhe glass.
or 0.75c. In glass, light rravels at about 0.67c, depending on rhe type of glass.
In a diamond, light travels at less than half its speed in a vacuum, only 0.4lc.
When light emerges from these materials imo the air, it travels ac its original
speed.
Infrared waves, which have frequencies lower than those of visible light,
vibrare nor only the electrons but also che entire molecules in the scruccure of
the glass and in many other materials. This molecular vibration increases che
thermal energy and temperature of the material, which is why infrared waves
produce temperature increases in these materials. Glass is transparent to visible
light, but notro ulcraviolet and infrared light (Figure 8.25).
FIGURE 8 . 25
Clear glass blocks both infrared and ulrraviolet light, but it is transparem to ali frequencies
of visible light. ·
192 PA RT ONE PHY SICS
CHECK VOURSELF
1. Pretend that, while you are ata social gatheri ng, you make several
Ditferent su bst ances have dif- momentary stops across the room to greet people who are "on your
fe rent molecular structures a nd w ave length ." How is this analogous to light tra~·él ing through glass?
t herefore a bsorb o r refle ct light 2. In what w ay is your behavior at a party not analogous to light t raveling
differently over various spectral through glass?
ranges.
Most objects around us are opaque- they absorb light withour reemitting it.
Books, desks, chairs, and people are opaque. Vibrations given by light to cheir
atoms and molecules are turned into random kinetic energy- inco chermal energy.
They become slightly warmer.
oses are red and violers are blue; colors intrigue artists and sciencists too.
Selective Reflection
A rose, for example, doesn't emit light; it reflects light. If we pass sunlight
through a prism and then place a deep -red rose in various pares of che spectrum,
che rose will appear brown or black in ali regions of the spectrum excepc in the
red region. In che red pan of che spectrum, che petals also will appear red, but
the green scem and leaves will appear black. T his shows chat che red rose has che
abilicy to reflecc red light, bue it cannot reflecc ocher colors; che green leaves have
che ability to reflecc green light and, likewise, cannot reflect ocher colors. When
FIGURE 8 . 26
the rose is held in whice light, che petals appear red and the leaves appear green
T he rose appears red because ir because che pecals reflecc che red pare of che wh ice light and che leaves reflect che
reílects light in chis frequency range. green part of the whice light.
CH A PTER 8 WAV ES-SOUND AN D LIG HT 193
FIGURE 8 . 29
Color depends on the light source.
Selective Transmission
The color of a transparent object depends on the color of the light it transmits.
A red piece of glass appears red because it absorbs ali the colors of white light
MasteringPhysics•
except red, so red light is transmitted. Similarly, a blue piece of glass appears blue
TUTORIAL: Color
because it transmits primarily blue and absorbs the other colors that illuminate
it (Figure 8.30). Colored pieces of glass concain dyes or pigments- fine particles
that selectively absorb light of particular frequencies and selectively transmit oth-
ers. Ordinary w indow glass doesn't h ave a color because it transmits light of ali
visible frequencies equally well.
F I GURE 8 . 30
Red Blue glass Only energy thar has che frequency
ofblue light is transmirred; energy of
Oran e j the orher frequencies is absorbed and
Yellow warms the glass.
Green
Blue
Violet
194 PART ONE PHYSICS
CHECK YOURSELF
1. When illuminated with green light, why do the petals of a red rose
appear black?
2. lf you hold a match, a candle flame, or any small so'urce of white light
between you and a piece of red glass, you'll see two reflections from
the glass: one from the front surface of the glass and one from the back
surface. What color reflections will you see?
Y
u can see rhat white light from the Sun is composed of all the visible frequen-
cies when you pass sunlight through a prism. The white light is dispersed into
a rainbow-colored spectrum. T he distribution of solar frequencies is uneven
(Figure 8.31), and the light is most intense in the yellow-green pan of the spectrum.
How fascinating it is that our eyes have evolved to have maxim um sensitivity in this
Every artist knows t hat if you mix
range. That's why many füe engines are painted yellow-green, particularly at airporrs,
red, green, and blue paint, the
result will not be white but a muddy where visibility is vital. Our sensitivity to yellow-green light is also why we see bet-
dark brown. The mixing of pigments ter under the illumination of yellow sodium-vapor lamps at night than we do under
in pa ints and dyes is a process called incandescent lamps o~ the same brightness.
subtractive color mixing and is
entirely different from mixing light All the colors combined produce white. lnterestingly, we also see white from
of different colors. the combination of only red, green, and blue light. We can understand this by
dividing the solar radiation curve into three regions, as in Figure 8.32. Three
t
Vl
Vl
Q.J
e
......
..s:::::
en
·;:::
1
co
- Visible light __.:
1
1
CHECK YOURSELF
1. From Figure 8. 33, find t he complements of cyan, of yellow, and of red.
2. Red + blue = ?
3. White - red = ?
4 . White - blue = ?
T
he speed of a wave changes when the medium changes. T his change in
\ speed can cause the wave to bend. T he bending of waves due ro a change
\
in wave speed is called refraction.
\
A simple way ro understand refraction is to compare che. motion of a wave
\1 Top view
to che motion of a pair of coy cart wheels, as shown in Figure 8.36. The wheels
~ of~sid ewal k roll from a smooth sidewalk omo a grass lawn. If rhe wheels meet che grass at an
1 Grass angle, as the figu re shows, they are deflected from rheir srraight-line course. Note
1
thar the !efe wheel slows first when it comes in contact with che grass on che lawn.
~ The right wheel m aintains its higher speed while on the sidewalk. lt pivots about
the slower-moving left wheel because it travels farther in the same time. So, che
di rection of the rolling wheels is bent toward the normal, the black dashed line
FIGURE 8 . 36
T he direction of roll ing wheels
perpendicular to the grass-sidewalk border in Figure 8.36.
ch anges when one w heel slows before Figure 8.37 shows how a light wave bends in a similar way. Note the direc-
rhe ocher one does. tion oflight, indicaced by the blue arrow (che light ray). Also note the wavefronts
drawn at righc angles to the ray. (If che light source were close, che wavefronts
would appear circular, but if che disram Sun is the
FIGURE 8 . 37
T he direccion of light waves changes
source, che wavefronts are practically straight lines.)
when one part of che wave slows The wavefronts are everywhere ar right angles to che
before the ocher pan slows. light rays. In the figure, che wave meets che water
surface at an angle. T his means that che left por.tion
of che wave slows down in che water while che re-
mainder in the air travels at the full speed of light, c.
T he light ray remains perpendicular to the wavefront
and therefore bends at che surface. lt bends like che
wheels bend when they roll from che sidewalk onto
che grass. In both cases, the bending is caused by a
change of speed.*
Figure 8.38 shows a beam of light entering water at che left and exiting ar the
right. The path· would be che same if the light entered from che right and exited
at che left. The light paths are reversible for both reflection and refraction . If you
see someone's eyes by way of a reflective or refractive device, such as a mirror or
a prism, then that person can see you by way of che device also.
Refraction causes many illusions. One of them is the apparent bending of a
stick that is partially submerged in water. T he submerged part appears closer to
che surface than it actually is. The same is true when you look at a fish in water.
The fish appears nearer to che surface and closer than it really is (Figure 8.39). If
we look straight clown into water, an object submerged 4 meters beneath the sur-
face appears ro be only 3 mecers deep. Because of refraction, submerged objects
FIGURE 8 . 38
appea r to be magnified.
W hen light slows down in going from
on e medium to anorh er, as ir does
in going from air to water, it bends
toward che normal. W hen ir speeds
*The quantitarive law of refracrion, called Snell's law, is credired ro Willebrord Snell, a 17rh-cenrury
up in traveling from one med ium Durch ascronomer and marhematician: n 1sin 01 = n2sin (Ji, where n 1 and n2 are rhe indices of
to another, as it does in going from refracrion of the media on eirher side of rhe surface, and 0 1 and 02 are che angles of incidence and
water to air, ir bend s away from che refraction, respecrively. Tf rhree of these values are known, rhe fourth can be calculared from chis
normal. relacionship.
C HA PTER 8 WAVES - SOUND ANO LIGHT 197
FIGURE 8 . 39
Because of refraction, a submerged
object appears to be nearer to the
surface than it acmally is.
Sound waves refract when parts of the wave fronrs travel at different speeds. MasteringPhysics•
T his may happen when sound waves are affected by uneven winds, or when VIDEO: Refraction of Sound
sound is traveling through air of different temperatures. O n a warm day, the air
near the ground may be appreciably warmer than rhe air above, so the speed of
sound near the ground increases. Sound waves therefore tend to bend away from
rhe ground, resulting in sound thar <loes not seem to transmit well (Figure 8.40).
\
FIGURE 8 . 40
::::> - -=- -
Dispersion
Recall that light that resonares with the .electrons of atoms and molecules in a ma-
terial is absorbed. Such a material is opaque to light. Also recall that transparency
occurs for light of frequencies near (but not at) the resonant frequencies of the mate-
rial. Light is slowed dueto the absorption/ reemission sequence, and the closer to the
resonant frequencies, the slower the light, as was shown in Figure 8.23. The grand
result is that high-frequency light in a transparent medium travels slower than low-
frequency light. Violet light travels about 1% slower in ordinary glass than red light.
Light of colors between red and violet travel at their own respective speeds in glass.
Because light of various frequencies travels ar different speeds in transparent
materials, different colors of light refract by different amounts. When whire light
is refracted twice, as in a prism, the separation oflight by colors is quite noticeable. FIGURE 8 . 41
T his separation of light into colors arranged by frequency is called dispersion Dispersion by a prism makes the
(Figure 8.41). Because of dispersion, there are rainbows! components of white light visible.
Rainbows
We see a rainbow when the Sun shines on d rops of water in a cloud or in falling
rain. The drops act as prisms that disperse light. When you face a rainbow, the
Sun is behind you, in the opposite part of the sky. Seen from an airplane near
198 PART ON E PHYSICS
midday, the rainbow forros a complete circle. All rainbows would be completely
round if the ground were not in che way.
Note how a raindrop disperses light in Figure 8.42 . Follow the ray of sunlight
as it enters che drop near its top surface. Sorne. is reflected (not shown) and the
remainder refracts into the water where the light is dispersed into its spectrum
colors, red being deviated the least and violet the most. Upon reaching the op-
posite side of the drop, each color is panly refracted out into the air (not shown)
and partly reflected back into che water. Arriving at the lower surface of the drop,
each color is again partly reflected (not shown) and partly refracted back into
FIGURE 8 . 42 the air. This refraction at the second surface, like that in a prism , increases the
Dispersion of sunlight by a single dispersion already produced at the first surface.
raindrop. Although each drop disperses a foil spectrum of colors, an observer is in a
position to see only a single color from any one drop (Figure 8.43). If violet light
from a single drop reaches an observer's eye, red light from the same drop is
incident elsewhere toward rhe observer's feer. To see red light, one muse look to
a drop higher in rhe sky. T he color red will be seen where rhe angle between a
beam of sunlight and the dispersed light is 42º. The color violet is seen where the
angle between the sunbeams and the dispersed light is 40º.
FIGURE 8 . 43
Sunlight incidenc on rwo raindrops,
as shown, emerges from chem as
d ispersed light. T he observer sees che
red light from che upper drop and
che violet light from rhe lower drop.
Millions of drops produce the emire
spectrum of visible light.
A rainbow is not the flat two-dimensional are it appears to be, but is actually a
three-dimensional cone of dispersed light (Figure 8.44). T he apex of this cone is
at your eye. The rhicker .the region containing water' drops, rhe rhicker the coni-
cal edge you look chrough and the more vivid the rainbow.
FIGURE 8 . 44
W hen your eye is located between
rhe wacer-drop region and the Sun
(not shown, off to che left), the
rainbow you see is rhe edge of a
rhree-dimensional cone rhac exrends
through the water-drop region.
Violer is dispersed by drops thar
form a 40º conical surface; red is Sun
· seen from drops along a 42º conical
surface, with orher colors in between.
~-
--
(Innumerable layers of drops form
innumerable two-dimensional ares,
like the four sets suggested here.)
CHAPTER 8 WAV ES- SO UN D ANO LIGH T 199
FIGURE 8 . 45
Two refractions anda reflection in
water droplets produce light ar all
angles up ro about 42°, with che
imensity concentrated where we see
che rainbow at 40º to 42º. Light
doesn'r exir the water droplec at angles
grearer than 42º unless it undergoes
rwo or more reflections inside che
drop. Thus che sky is brighter inside
che rai nbow than outside it. Notice
che weak secondary rainbow.
It is interesting that a rainbow always faces you squarely. W hen you move, the
rainbow appears to move with you. So you can never approach rhe side of a rain-
bow or see it end-on as in rhe exaggerated view of Figure 8.44. You can't reach
its end. Thus the saying "looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow"
means pursuing something you can never reach.
Often a larger, secondary bow with its colors reversed can be seen arching at a
larger angle around rhe primary bow. We won't treat this secondary bow except
FIGURE 8 . 46
to say that it is formed by similar circumstances and is a result of double reflec- Double reflection in a drop produces
tion within the raindrops (Figure 8.46). Because of this extra reflection (and a secondary bow.
extra refraction loss), the secondary bow is much dimmer and reversed.
Lenses
When you think of lenses, think of sets of glass prisms arranged as shown in
You r cone of vision int ersects the
Figure 8.47. They refract incoming parallel light rays so that the rays converge cloud of drops and creates your
to (or diverge from) a point. The arrangement shown in Figure 8.47a converges rainbow. lt is ever so slightly dif-
the light, and we have a converging Lens. Notice rhat it is thicker in the middle. ferent from the rain bow seen by a
person nearby. So, w h en a friend
In the arrangement shown in Figure 8.47b, the middle is thinner than the edges. says, " Look at the pretty rainbow,"
Because this lens diverges the light, we have a diverging lens. Note that the prisms you can reply, "Okay, move aside
in (b) diverge the incident rays in a way that makes them appear to originare from so 1can see it, too." Everybody sees
his or her own personal rain bow.
a single point in front of the lens.
In both lenses, the greatest deviation of rays occurs at the outermost prisms
because they have the largest angle between the two refracting surfaces. No de-
viation occurs exacd y in the middle because in rhat region the two surfaces of
FIGURE 8 . 47
A lens may be thought of as a set of
blocks and prisms. (a) A converging
lens. (b) A diverging lens.
(a) (b)
200 PART ONE PHYSICS
FIGURE 8 . 48
Wave froms travel more slowly in
glass than in air. (a) T he waves slow
more through the cemer of rhe lens,
and convergence results. (b) T he
waves slow m ore at che edges, and
divergence results.
the glass are parallel to each other (light doesn't deviate when it passes through
glass w ith parallel surfaces, like window glass). A real lens is not made of prisms,
of course. lt is made of a solid piece of glass w ith surfaces ground usualiy to a
circular curve. In Figure 8.48, we see how smooth lenses refract waves.
W
hen you touch your finger to the surface of stili water, circular ripples
are produced. W hen you touch the surface with a straightedge, such
as a horizonrally held meterstick, you produce aplane wave. You can
produce a series of plane waves by successively dipping a meterstick into the surface
of the water (Figure 8.49).
T he photographs in Figure 8.50 are top views of water ripples in a shallow glass
tank (called a ripple tank). A barrier with an adjustable opening is in the tank. When
plane waves meet the barrier, they conrinue through with sorne distortion. In the left
F I GURE 8 . 49 image, where the opening is wide, the waves continue through the opening almost
The osci llating meterstick makes plane without change. At rhe two ends of the opening, however, the waves bend. This
waves in the tan k of water. Water oscil- bending is called diffraction. (Any bending oflight by means other than reflection
lating in the opening accs as a source of
and refraction is diffraction.) Notice in Figure 8.50 that as the opening is narrowed
waves that fan out on the other side of
the opening. Water diffracts through the waves spread more. Smaller openings produce greater diffraction. Diffraction is
the opening. a property of ali kinds of waves, including sound and light waves.
Diffraction is not confined to narrow slits or to openings in general but can be
seen around the edges of ali shadows (Figure 8.51). On close examination, even
the sharpest shadow is blurred slightly at its edges (Figure 8.52).
(b) (e)
FIGURE 8 . 50
Plane waves passing chrough openings of various sizes. The smaller the opening, che
greater che bending of the waves at the edges- in other words, the greater the diffraction.
CHAPTER 8 WAV ES-SOUND AND LIGHT 201
1
we :¡
"'
~
(a) (b) (e)
FIGURE 8.51
(a) Waves tend to spread into the shadow region. (b) When che wavelength is abom the size
of the object, the shadow is soon filled in. (e) When the wavelength is short compared with
che object, a sharp shadow is cast.
FIGURE 8 . 52
Oiffraction fringes are evident in the
shadows of monoch romatic (single-
Diffraction poses a problem when you are viewing very small objects wich a frequency) light. These fringes would
light microscope. If che size of an objecc is abouc che same as che wavelength of be filled by multitudes of other
fringes if the source were wh ite light.
light, diffraction blurs the image. If che object is smaller chan the wavelengch
of light, no structure can be seen. The entire image is lost, due to diffraction.
No amount of magnification or perfection of microscope design can defeat this
fundamental diffraction limit. H owever, the eleccron microscope is useful far
viewing ultraciny objects, as described in C hapter 15.
A
n intriguing property of all waves is interference- the combined effect
of two or more waves overlappi ng. C onsider transverse waves: When che
crest of one wave overlaps the crest of another, their individual effects
add cogether. T he resulc is a wave of increased amplitude. This is construccive
interference (Figure 8.53, left). W hen che crest of one wave overlaps the trough
of another, their individual effects are reduced. The high part of one wave simply
fills in the low pan of che other. T his is destructive interference (Figure 8.53,
right).
FIGURE 8 . 53
Constructive and destructive interfer-
Cancel lation ence in a t ransverse wave.
FIGURE 8 .5 4
Two sets of overlapping water waves
produce an incerference pattern. T he
Jefe image is an idealized drawing of
the expanding waves from cwo sources.
T he right image is a photograph of an
actual interference pattem.
I nterference is a property of ali wave motion, whether the waves are water
waves, sound waves, or light waves. We see a comparison of interference for
tran sverse and for longitudinal waves in Figure 8.55. In the case of sound, the
crest of a wave corresponds ro a compression and the trough of a wave corre-
sponds to a rarefaction.
FIGURE 8 . 55
The top two panels show construc-
tive wave incerference in tran sverse
and lo ngitudinal waves. T he bot-
+
t0m panels illustrate destructive
interference.
The superposition of two ide ntical t ransverse waves in phase produces a wave of
increased amplitude.
., ·: ....... ,
9 . ..... .. ,."'-· ' .. ........ . ... ..
~
Two identical t ransverse waves that are out of phase destroy each other when they are
superi mposed.
+
Two identica l longitudinal waves that are out of phase destroy each other when they
are superim posed.
C HA PTE R 8 WAVES-SOUND ANO LIG HT 203
C
onsider a bug in che middle of a quiet pond . A pattern of water waves is
produced when it jiggles its legs and bobs up and clown (Figure 8.56).
T he bug is not traveling anywhere but merely treads water in a station-
ary position. T he waves it creares are concentric circles because wave speed is the
same in all directions. If the bug bobs in rhe water at a constant frequency, the
distance between che wave crests (the wavelength) is che same in all d irections.
A B
Waves encounter point A as frequently as they encounter point. B. T herefore,
che frequency of wave motion is the same at points A and B, or anywhere in
che vicinity of the bug. This wave frequency remains the same as the bobbing
frequency of che bug.
Suppose che jiggling bug moves across the water at a speed less than the wave FIGURE 8 . 56
Top view of water waves made by a
speed. In effect , che bug ch ases pare of rhe waves it has produced . T he wave stationary bug jiggling on che surface
pattern is distorted and is no longer concentric circles (Figure 8.57). T he center of scill water.
of the outer wave originated when the bug was at che center of that circle. The
center of the next sm aller wave originated when che bug was at rhe center of
that circle, and so forch. T he centers of che circular waves move in che direc-
tion of che swimming bug. Although che bug maintains che same bobbing Wave 1
frequency as before, an observer at B would see the waves coming more often.
T he observer would measure a higher frequency. T his is because each succes-
sive wave has a shorter distance to travel and therefore arrives at B sooner than
A B
if the bug weren't moving toward B. An observer at A , on the other hand , meas-
ures a lower frequency because of the longer t ime between wave-crest arrivals.
T h is occurs because each successive wave travels far ther to A as a result of the
bug's motion. This change in frequency of a wave as measured by an observer
FIGURE 8.57
d ue to che motion of che source (or due to che motion of che observer) is called Water waves made by a bug swim-
the Doppler effect (after the Austrian physicist and mathematician Christian ming on che surface of still wacer
Johann Doppler, 1803-1853). toward poim B.
Water waves spread over the flat surface of the water. In concrast, sound and
light waves travel in three-dimensional space in all directions, like an expanding
balloon . Just as circular waves are closer together in front of the swim ming bug,
spherical sound or light waves ahead of a moving source are closer together and
reach an observer more frequendy. The Doppler effect holds for ali types of waves.
The Doppler effect is evident when you hear che changing pitch of an ambu-
lance or fire-engine siren. W hen rhe siren is approaching you, the crests of t he
MasteringPhysics•
sound waves encounter your ear more frequendy, and the pitch is higher than
TUTORIAL. The Doppler
normal. And when che siren passes you and moves away, the crests of the waves Effect
encounter your ear less frequendy, and you hear a drop in pitch (Figure 8.58). VIDEO: The Doppler Effect
F 1G U R E 8 • 5 8 r '•
INTERACTIVE FIGURE~ ( ~
The picch of sound increases when che sourcc of che sound moves coward you, and ir
decreases when che source moves away.
204 PART ONE PHYSICS
T he Doppler effect also occurs for light waves. W hen a light source
approaches, there is an increase in its measured frequency; when it
recedes, there is a decrease in its frequency. An increase in light frequency
is called a blue shift because the increase is toward a higher frequency, or toward
the blue end of the color spectrum. A decrease in frequency is called a red shift,
referring to a shift toward a lower frequency, or toward the red end of the color
spectrum. A rapidly spinning star, for example, shows a red shift on the side turn-
ing away from us and a relative blue shift on che side turning toward us. This
shifting of frequencies enables us to calculare che star's spin rate.
Galaxies, too, show a red shif~ in the light they emit. This observation was
first made by American astronomer Edwin Hubble. W hen Hubble observed
galaxies through his telescope, he noticed that the colors of the light emitted
by their elements seemed to be red-shifted. This implied that the galaxies must
be moving away from Earth. Further, Hubble's observations established that
the farther a galaxy is from Earch, che faster it is moving away. This is che basis
of our current belief that the universe is ever-expanding. (You will learn more
CHECK VOURSELF
1. lf Hubble had observed that the light from distant galaxies was blue-
shifted, would this be evidence for an expanding or a shrinking universe?
Explain.
2. Explain why, in terms of the bunching together of waves, light from a
receding source is red -shifted.
CHAPTER 8 WAVES-SOU ND AND LIGHT 205
e have described light as a wave. The ea~liest ideas a bout the nature
Ali attempts to explain the photoelectric effect by waves failed. A light wave
has a broad front, and its energy is spread out along this front. For the light wave
to eject a single electron from a metal surface, ali its energy would somehow have
to be concentrated on that one electron. But th is is as improbable as an ocean
wave hitting a beach and knocking only one single seashell far inland with an
energy equal to the energy of the whole wave. Therefore, the photoelectric effect
suggests that, instead of thi nking of light encountering a surface as a continu-
ous train of waves, we should conceive of light encountering a surface, or any
detector, as a succession of particle-like photons. The energy of each photon is
proporcional to the frequency of light, and that energy is given completely to a
single electron in the metal's surface. The number of ejected electrons has to do
with che number of photons-the brightness of the light.
Experimental verification of Einstein's explanation of the photoelectric effect
was made 11 years later by che American physicist Roben Millikan. Every aspect
of Einstein's interpretation was confirmed. The photoelectric effect proves conclu-
sively that light has particle properties. A wave model oflight is inconsistent with
che photoelectric effect. On the other hand, interference demonstrates convinc-
ingly that light has wave properties, and a particle model of light is inconsistent
with interference.
Evidendy, light has both a wave nacure and a particle nature-a wave- partide
duality. It reveals itself as a wave or partide depending on how it is being observed.
Simply stated, light behaves as a stream of photons when it interacts with a sheet of
metal or other detector, and it behaves as a wave in traveling from a source to the
place where it is detected. Light travels as a wave and hics as a stream of photons.
T he fact that light exhibits both wave and particle behavior is one of the most in-
teresting surprises that physicists discovered in the 20th century.
Amplitude For a wave ora vibration, the maximum displace- . Hertz Th~ SI unir of frequency; one hertz (symbol H z)
mem on either side of the equilibrium (m idpoint) position. equals one vibration per second.
Diffraction Any bending of light by means other rhan lnterference The combined effect of two or more waves
reflection and refraction. overlapping.
Dispersion T he separation oflight into colors arranged by Law of reflection T he angle of reílection equals che angle of
frequency. incidence.
Doppler effect The change in frequency of a wave due to Longitudinal wave A wave in which che medium vibrares
che morion of the source (or due to the motion of the in a direction parallel (longitud inal) to the direction in
receiver). which the wave rravels.
Electromagnetic spectrum The continuous range of elec- Natural frequency A frequency ar which an elasric object
tromagnetic waves th at exrends in frequency from radio nacura lly rends ro vibrare.
waves to gamma rays. Opaque Description of materials rhat absorb light wirhour
Electromagnetic wave An energy-carrying wave produced reemission.
by an oscillating electric charge. Period The rime required for a vibration ora wave to m ake
Forced v ibration The sening up of vibrarions in an object by one complete cycle.
a vibrating source. Reflection The returning of a wave to the medium from
Frequency For a vibrating body, the number of vibrations which ir carne when ir hits a barrier.
per unir time. For a wave, che number of crests rhat pass Refraction The bending ofwaves dueto a change in wave speed.
a particular point per unit time.
CHAPTER 8 WAVES-SOUND AND LIGHT 207
Resonance A dramatic increase in the amplitude of a wave Wave A disturbance thar travels from one place to anocher trans-
that results when the frequency of forced vibrations porting energy, but nor necessarily matter, along with ir.
marches an object's natural frequency. Wavelength The dista nce from the top of one cresc to
Transparent D escription of materials that allow light to pass the top of che next cresc or, equivalenrly, che disrance
chrough them in stra ighc lines. between successive identical pares of the wave.
Transverse wave A wave in which the medium vibrares in a Wave-particle duality T he exhibition of boch a wave nature
direction perpendicular (transverse) to che direction in and a particle nature of light.
which che wave travels.
8A- Sensing Pitch Can you explain what you see? (Him: To figure chis out,
33. How does the pirch of sound relate to its frequency? you need to know char rhe eones in you r retina chac are
receptive to che color of the paper become fatigued.)
34. A cat can hear sound frequencies up to 70,000 H z.
Bats send and receive ultrahigh-frequency squeaks up
to 120,000 H z. Which hears sound of shorter wave- 8C- The Doppler Effect and the Expanding
lengths-cats or bats? Universe
37. Swing a buzzer of any kind over your head in a circle.
88- Mixing Colored Lights Ask sorne friends to stand off to the side, listen to the
buzzer, and repon cheir observations. Then switch places
35. Explain how you are able to see a wide ra nge of colors
so you too can hear che buzzer as ic moves. How does the
even chough there are only chree kinds oflight-sen sicive
sound of che buzzer change? W hy?
cells ("eones") in your eyes.
38. H ow does the Doppler effect provide evidence chat we
36. Stare ac a piece of colored paper for 45 seconds or so.
live in an expanding universe?
Then look at a plain whice surface. What do you see now?
39. Suspenda wire grill from a refrigerator or an end. (If the cardboard is thick, make the hole chrough
oven from a string, holding the ends of che a piece of aluminum foil placed over an opening in
scring to your ears. Let a friend gently stroke che cardboard.) Aim che camera ac a bright object in a
the grill with pieces ofbroom scraw and with darkened room, and you see an upside-down image on
other objects. The effect is bese appreciared the tissue paper. W hen phorngraphic film was in vague,
when you are in a relaxed condition wich studem s replaced che t issue paper with unexposed pho-
your eyes closed. Be sure to try chis! tographic film, covering che back so ic was light cight,
40. Set up two pocket mirrors at right angles, and covering che pinhole with a removable flap, ali ready
and place a coin between them. You'll see four coins. to cake a picrure. Exposure times d iffered, depend-
Change rhe angle of che mirrors, and see how many images ing principally on che kind of film and the amount of
of the coin you can see. Wich che mirrors at right angles, light. Lenses on today's commercial cameras are much
look at your face. T hen wink. W hat do you see? You now bigger than pinholes and therefore admit more light in
see yourself as others see you. Hold a primed page up to che less time-hence the term snapshot. For now it will be
double mirrors and compare its appearance with che reflec- enough to view images on che tissue or wax paper. Poim
tion of a single mirror. your camera toward the Sun. And if you do so during a
solar eclipse, you'll marvel at the clear crescents on your
viewing screen.
Left ,-----:: .:
tr -- -- -e,,, =- - - -
-----
eye
Right
eye 1
41. Make a pinhole camera, as illustrated here. Cut out one 42. Write a letter to Grandpa explaining why we now say
end of a small cardboard box, and cover che end with cis- that light is not just a particle, and not just a wave, bue in
sue or wax paper. Make a clean-cut pinhole at the ocher fact is both-a "wavicle"!
---
CHAPTER 8 WAVES - SOUND AND LIGHT 209
48. The siren of a fire engine is heard when the fire engine is lawn; ande , a close-cropped grass on a golf-course put-
traveling in three diffe rent situations: A, toward che lis- ting green. Each sec of wheels bends ac che boundary due
tener ar 30 km/ h ; B, toward che liscener ac 50 km/ h; and to slowing and is deflected from ics inicial straighc-line
C, away from che liscener ac 20 km/ h. Rank the pitches course. Rank che surfaces accord ing to the amount each
heard, from highesc to lowest. set of wheels bends ac che boundary, from greatest amount
49. Three shock waves are produced by supersonic aircraft. of bending to leasc.
Rank their speeds from highesc to lowest.
50. A woman looks at her face in che handheld mirror. Rank 52. ldentical rays oflight enter three cransparent blocks
the amoum of her face she sees in che ch ree sicuations A, composed of differem m aceria ls. Light slows down
B, and C, from greacest to least (or <loes she see the same when it enters the blocks. Rank che blocks according to
amount in all positions?). che speed light t ravels in each, from highest to lowest.
51. Wheels from a toy cart are rolled from a concrece side-
walk omo th ree surfaces: A, a paved driveway; B, a grass
53. W hat is t he frequency, in hertz, that corresponds to each ac 75 % of its speed in air, is 450 nm. Show chat its speed
of chese periods: (a) 0.10 s, (b) 5 s, (c) -Jos? in Plexiglas, where light travels at 67% of ics speed in air,
54. The nearest star beyond che Sun is Alpha Centauri, is 400 nm. (1 nm = 10-9 m)
which is 4 X 10 16 m away. If we were to receive a radio 57. A certain radar installation that is used to crack airplanes
message from chis star coday, show chac it would h ave transmits electromagnecic radiation with a wavelen gth
been sem 1.4 X 108 s ago (4 .4 yr ago). of 3 cm. (a) Show thac che frequency of chis radiation,
55. Blue-green light has a frequency of about 6 X 10 14 H z. Use measured in billions of hertz, is 10 G H z. (b) Show chat
the relationship e = p . to show that che wavelengch of this che time required fo r a pulse of radar waves to reach an
light in air is 5 X 10- 7 m. How <loes this wavelength com- airplane 5 km away and return is 3.3 X 10- 5 s.
pare with che size of an atom , which is about 10- 1o m? 58. Suppose you walk toward a mirror at 2 m /s. Show that
56. A certain blue-green light has a wavelength of 6 00 nm in you and your image approach each other at a speed of
air. Show chat ics wavelengch in water, where light travels 4 m/s (and not 2 m /s).
210 PART ONE PHYSICS
59. W har k ind of morion should you impart to a srretched 72. What happens to light of a certain frequency when it
coiled spring (or to a Slinky) to produce a rransverse is incident on a material whose natural frequency is rhe
wave? To produce a longitudinal wave? same as che frequency of che light?
60. Whar does ir mean to say thar a radio station is "at 101.1 73. Two observers standing apare from each orher do not see
on your FM dial"? rhe "same" rainbow. Explain.
61. In che stands ar a racerrack, you norice smoke from che 74. An ocean wave is cyan. W hat color(s) of light does it
starter's gun before you hear ir fire. Explain. absorb? Whar colors does ir reflecr?
62. What is the danger posed by people in the balcony of an 75. A rainbow viewed from an airplane may forma complete
auditorium stamping rheir feet in a steady rhyrhm? circle. Where will che shadow of rhe airplane appear?
63. W hat is rhe fundamental source of electromagnetic Explain.
radiacion? 76. A bar ílying in a cave emits a sound and receives its echo
64. W h ich has the shorrer wavelengths-ultravioler or infra- 0.1 s later. How far away is the cave wall?
red? Which has che higher frequencies? 77. Why do radio waves diffract around buildings whereas
65. Do radio waves travel ar rhe speed of sound, ar rhe speed light waves do not?
of light, or ar sorne speed in between? 78. Suntanning produces cellular damage in che skin. Why
66. What determines whether a material is rransparent or is ultraviolet radiation capable of producing this damage
opaque? whereas visible radiation is noc?
67. You can get a sunburn on a cloudy day, but you can'r gec 79. Why doesn'c che sharpness of che image in a pinhole
a sunburn even on a sunny day if you are behind glass. camera depend on the position of che viewing screen ?
Explain.
68. Suppose that sunlighr falls on boch a pair of reading
glasses anda pair of dark sunglasses. Which pair of
glasses would you expecc to become warmer? Defend
' your answer.
69. Fire engines used ro be red. Now many of rhem are 80. If you poinr the pinhole camera ofExercise 79 ar rhe Sun,
yellow-green. Why was che color changed ? you will see a clear and brighr solar image on che viewing
70. A woman's eye ar point P looks into che m irror. W hich of screen. How does rhis relate to the circular spots that sur-
rhe numbered cards can she see reflected in the mirror? round Lillian beneath che sunlit cree shown in the photo?
¡.....,¡
_,, _____ f -
~ -===>""
Mirror
71. Cowboy Joe wishes to shoor h is assailant by ricochet-
ing a bullet off a mirrored metal piare. To do so, should
he simply aim at che mirrored image of his assailam?
Explain.
81. The wavelength of light changes as light goes from frequency rhat you hear increase, decrease, or scay the
one medium to another, while che frequency remains same? (b) How abour the wavelengch reaching your ear?
rhe same. Is che wavelength longer or shorter in (c) How abour che speed of sound in che air between you
water tban in air? Explain in terms of che equation: and che locomorive?
Speed = frequency X wavelengrh. 84. The radiacion curve of che Sun (see Figure 8.31) shows
82. The sirar, an Indian musical instru mem, has a set of chac che brighcest light from che Sun is yellow-green.
scrings that vibrare and produce music, even though che Why rhen do we see rhe Sun as whicish instead of
player never plucks those strings. T hese "sympathetic yellow-green?
strings" are identical to the plucked strings and are 85. If, while stand ing on rhe bank of a stream, you wished to
mounted below them. W hat is your explanation? spear a fish swi mming in che water out in from of you,
83. A railroad locomotive is ar rest with its whistle shriek- wou ld you airo above, below, or direcrly at che observed
ing, and then it starts moving toward you. (a) Does che fish to make a direct hit? If you decided instead to zap
CHAPTER 8 WAVES-SOUND AND LIG HT 211
the fish wíth a laser, would you aim above, below, or 89. Explain briefly how the
directly at the observed fish? Defend your answers. photoelectric effect is
86. A rule of thumb for estimating the dístance in kilometers used in che operation of
between an observer and a lighmíng strike is co d ivide ac least two of the fol-
the number of seconds in che interval between the flash lowing: an electric eye,
and che sound by 3. Show that chis rule is correct. a photographer's light
meter, the sound track
87. If a single disturbance sorne unknown discance away
of a motion picture.
sends out both transverse and longitudinal waves chac
travel at discinctly different speeds in che medium, such 90. Does che photoeleccric
as che ground during earthquakes, how could the origin effect prove that light
of che discurbance be located? is made up of particles?
Do interference experi-
88. The photo ac righc shows Eanh science author Suzanne
ments prove that light
Lyons with h er son Triscan wearíng red and her daughter
is composed of waves?
Simone wearing green. Below chat is che negative of che
(Is chere a distinccion
photo, which shows chese colors differently. What is your
between what some-
explanation?
thing is and how it
behaves?)