Year 11 - Science
Absorbing infrared radiation practical
Electromagnetic waves
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores reflection, refraction, and lenses using ray diagrams. It covers the electromagnetic spectrum, light as a wave, absorption, transmission, and practical uses. Emphasis is on risks, temperature balance, data presentation, and unit conversions.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to investigate how the intensity of black ink affects the infrared radiation absorbed by a surface.
Key Notes
- In a fair test, only the (independent) variable being investigated is changed
- The dependent variable is measured to investigate the effect of changing the independent variable
- Control variables are other factors that could be changed, but are kept the same in order not to affect the results
- The greater the intensity of black ink, the more easily a surface absorbs infrared
Vocabulary To Learn
- absorption: Absorption is when an electromagnetic wave is incident on a surface and transfers some or all of its energy to that surface.
- infrared radiation: Infrared radiation means electromagnetic waves with frequencies in a range just lower than for red light.
- electromagnetic wave: Electromagnetic waves are oscillations (ripples) in electric and magnetic fields.
- frequency: The frequency of a wave is the number of oscillations that occur each second.
- control variable: Control variables are variables that must remain the same throughout an investigation.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Infrared radiation is visible and is seen when objects glow.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
In a fair test, only the (independent) variable being investigated is changed. The dependent variable is measured to investigate the effect of changing the independent variable.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'absorption'
Absorption is when an electromagnetic wave is incident on a surface and transfers some or all of its energy to that surface. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Infrared radiation is visible and is seen when objects glow. Correction: Distinguish clearly between light radiation and infrared radiation in terms of what is visible and what is not visible.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Converging lenses Study Guide
- Convex lenses Study Guide
- Convex lenses (including magnification) Study Guide
- Dispersion of light and electromagnetic radiation Study Guide
- Dispersion of light and electromagnetic waves Study Guide
- Emitters of infrared & black body radiation Study Guide
- Emitting infrared and black body radiation Study Guide
- Emitting infrared radiation Study Guide
- Ionising electromagnetic radiation Study Guide
- Light and colour Study Guide
- Non-ionising electromagnetic radiation Study Guide
- Non-ionising electromagnetic radiations Study Guide
- Reflection of light Study Guide
- Reflection of light (including specular and diffuse) Study Guide
- Refraction through a rectangular block Study Guide
- Refraction through a rectangular block (including wave front diagrams) Study Guide
- Refraction through a semicircular block Study Guide
- Refraction through a semicircular block (including TIR) Study Guide
- Scale diagrams for converging lenses Study Guide
- Scale diagrams for convex lenses Study Guide
- Scale diagrams for convex lenses (including magnification) Study Guide
- The spectrum of electromagnetic radiation Study Guide
- The spectrum of electromagnetic waves Study Guide
- Virtual images from converging and diverging lenses Study Guide
- Virtual images from convex and concave lenses Study Guide
- Virtual images from convex and concave lenses (including magnification) Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 11 Science guide library.