Sunday 28 April 2013

Motor Effect Video

A video about the motor effect from mygcsescience.com:

http://www.my-gcsescience.com/revision/separate/the-motor-effect

P3.3 Keeping things moving - The motor effect

What you need to know:

The motor effect
When a current flows through a wire a magnetic field is produced around the wire.
When a current carrying wire is placed in a magnetic field it experiences a force.  This is called the motor effect.
The size of the force can be increased by:
  - increasing the strength of the magnetic field
  -  increasing the size of the current.
The conductor will not experience a force if it is parallel to the magnetic field.
The direction of the force is reversed if either the direction of the current or the direction of the magnetic field is reversed.
We can use Fleming’s LEFT hand  rule to determine the direction of  movement, the current or magnetic field

Fleming’s left hand rule:
Is used to work out the direction of the force (movement)experienced by the wire:



Applications:
Electromagnets are used on cranes in scrap metal yards for lifting iron/steel
The motor effect is used in electric motors. Electric motors are found in washing machines, hair dryers etc…


Wednesday 17 April 2013

Extended writing questions - lenses, refraction etc...

Some ideas for possible questions...

1) Describe an experiment you could do, including the measurements you would need to take, to determine the refractive index of a transparent block.

2) Compare the similarities and differences between images formed by a magnifying glass and a diverging lens.

3) Describe the factors which affect the focal length of a lens and explain how the lenses in modern glasses can be manufactured to be very thin.

4) Describe an experiment that could be carried out to determine the critical angle of a glass block.

5) Explain how total internal reflection occurs. Why is total internal not possible if light is travelling in air towards a glass surface?

6) Explain how an endoscope works and it's uses in medicine.

Answers to follow shortly.

Monday 15 April 2013

Test yourself markscheme - Refraction, refractive index and total internal reflection

Mark scheme for exam questions - How did you do???


(a)   (i)    Critical angle

       (ii)   The light is totally internally reflected. 
       It would be insufficient to simply say that ‘the light is reflected’ or even 
      ‘reflected back into the block’.
       (iii)   refractive index =  1/ sin c 
                                        = 1/ sin 42
                                        = 1/ 0.669 = 1.5

       Alternatively the equation refractive index = sin i/sin r could have been used.      
       However, if you use this equation you must imagine the light to be travelling from
       air into glass and not the other way around. So take the angle of incidence as 
       either 31° or 49° with the associated angle of refraction either 20° or 30°.

(b)
  • An endoscope has two bundles of optical fibres. 
  • Light that is directed into one bundle travels from one end to the other by being totally internally reflected many times. 
  • The light is then reflected back through the second bundle of optical fibres.
  • The image is viewed through a lens, 
  • or if a miniature camera is attached to the optical fibres the image can be displayed on a computer screen.

    It is perfectly okay to answer a ‘prose’ type question using bullet points. However, if 
    you do, make sure each bullet point is a complete sentence.

Sunday 14 April 2013

Test yourself - Refraction, Refractive Index and Total Internal Reflection



Exam style question about applications of refraction and total internal reflection

A student investigates the refraction of light as it passes out from a glass block into the air.




  


Each time the student changes the angle of incidence (i) in the glass block he measures the angle of refraction (r) in the air. The student’s results are given in the table.

Angle of incidence (i)
Angle of refraction (r)
20°
31°
30°
49°
42°
90°
50°
no refracted ray
70°
no refracted ray



(a)   (i)    What name is given to the angle of incidence that produces an angle of refraction equal to 90°?                                      (1 mark)
       (ii)   What happens to the light once the angle of incidence exceeds 42°? (1 mark)
       (iii)  Use data from the table to calculate the refractive index of the glass block.
              Write down the equation you need to use and show how you work out your answer.      (2 marks)
(b)   A doctor may use an endoscope to look directly inside a patient’s body. Explain how an endoscope works.  (4 marks)

Total Internal Reflection

Yet another good video from My GCSE Science

http://www.my-gcsescience.com/revision/separate/total-internal-reflection


Contains information about calculating the refractive index using the sine of the critical angle, describing how optical fibres work and describing the use of lasers.


Specification reference P3.1.5 Other applications of light

You should know that:
  • refractive index = 1 / sin c, where c is the critical angle
  • visible light can be sent along optical fibres - examples of use should include the endoscope for internal imaging.
  • a laser can be used as an energy source for cutting, cauterising and burning (knowledge of how lasers work is not required. Applications should include use in eye surgery)

Focal Length and Lens Power

Another GCSE Science Video about Focal Length and Lens Power:

http://www.my-gcsescience.com/revision/separate/focal-length-and-lens-power

Information about using the lens power equation, describe the factors that determine the focal length of a lens, an explaining the effect of refractive index on the size and shape of the lens for a given focal length.

Specification reference: P3.1.4 The Eye
  • The power of a lens is given by: P = 1/f    where P is power in dioptres, D, and f is focal length in metres, m
  • You should know that the power of a converging lens is positive and the power of a diverging lens is negative
  • For a given focal length, the greater the refractive index, the flatter the lens. This means that the lens can be manufactured thinner.

Refractive Index

MyGCSE Science Video about Refractive Index

http://www.my-gcsescience.com

Specification reference:
P3.1.3 Lenses
  • Refraction is the change of direction of light as it passes from one medium to another.
  • A lens forms an image by refracting light
  • refractive index =  sin i /sin r, where i is the angle of incidence and r is the angle of refraction

P3.1.4 The Eye
  • The focal length of a lens is determined by:
    •  the refractive index of the material from which the lens is made, and
    •  the curvature of the two surfaces of the lens
  • For a given focal length, the greater the refractive index, the flatter the lens. This means that the lens can be manufactured thinner.

Thursday 11 April 2013

Extended Writing Questions - The Eye

A few ideas for possibilities:

1) Describe the structure of the human eye, including the functions of the key parts.

2) Explain what is meant by short-sightedness and long-sightedness and describe how they can be corrected using lenses.

3) Compare the structure and function of the eye with that of a camera.