Answers to end-of-chapter questions

Chapter 15
1 a red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet 8 White light is dispersed because it is a
mixture of different colours/wavelengths, [1]
b red = lowest frequency, longest wavelength
which travel at different speeds in glass. [1]
violet = highest frequency, shortest wavelength
Laser light is a single wavelength
2 a radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible (monochromatic) and so cannot
light, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays be dispersed. [1]
b radio waves = lowest frequency, longest 9 a i refraction [1]
wavelength
ii dispersion [1]
gamma rays = highest frequency, shortest
wavelength b i A (red, at top) [1]
ii C (yellow, third from top) [1]
3 300 000 000 m/s or 3.0 × 108 m/s
c any two from:
4 monochromatic; frequency (or wavelength)
gamma, cosmic, X-rays, UV, IR,
5 a microwaves, radio, TV [2]

spectrum
10 a electromagnetic [1]
red orange short [1]
white light yellow
green b film or photographic film or electronic
prism blue detector or charge-coupled device (CCD) [1]
violet indigo
ray broadens on entering prism, c absorbed/stopped by bone (not deflected/
and again on leaving [1] reflected) [1]
red and violet ends of spectrum less absorption by flesh or penetrates/passes
correctly indicated [1] through flesh [1]

b violet [1] d any one of:

photographic film badges, behind screen
c Different colours travel at different when operating X-ray machine, protective
speeds in glass. [1] clothing, minimise exposure [1]
The slowest colour is the most
strongly dispersed. [1]
6 a false
b true
c true
7 300 000 000 m/s = 3.0 × 108 m/s [1]

© Cambridge University Press 2014 IGCSE Physics Answers to end-of-chapter questions: Chapter 15 1