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6. Radiation is used in many different ways - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 6 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 6
6. Radiation is used in many different ways. (a) Which of these can be used both for communication and for cooking? Put a cross in the box (X) next to your answer. ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:6. Radiation is used in many different ways - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 6 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
Step 2
Use this diagram to classify the three types of radiation given in the word box.
Answer
In the provided Venn diagram:
- Microwaves belong to the section of electromagnetic radiation but not ionising radiation.
- X-rays fall under the ionising radiation section.
- Beta radiation is categorized as ionising radiation.
Step 3
Explain the limitations of ground-based telescopes in observing stars.
Answer
Ground-based telescopes face several limitations in observing stars:
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Atmospheric Disturbances: The Earth's atmosphere distorts light from celestial objects, affecting image clarity and resolution. This is particularly notable due to weather conditions and atmospheric turbulence.
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Light Pollution: Urban areas emit significant amounts of artificial light, which can obscure faint stars and celestial phenomena, making it difficult to conduct observations.
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Sky Conditions: Ground-based telescopes are subject to environmental factors, including clouds, dust, and other atmospheric interferences that can hinder observation capabilities.
Step 4
Explain how their two experiments led to these discoveries.
Answer
Herschel and Ritter independently contributed to the understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum through their experiments:
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Herschel's Experiment: He used a prism to disperse sunlight and measured the temperature of different colors. Notably, he found that the temperature increased towards the red end of the spectrum, indicating the presence of heat beyond visible red light. This led to the discovery of infrared radiation.
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Ritter's Experiment: Similarly, Ritter employed sensitive silver chloride paper and noted how it blackened quickly when exposed to light just beyond the violet end of the spectrum. This observation highlighted the existence of ultraviolet radiation, which is invisible to the naked eye.
These experiments collectively showed that there are forms of radiation beyond the visible spectrum, leading to the advancements in our understanding of electromagnetic waves.