AQA · GCSE · Physics
Course version: 8463 · Version from Sept 2016
Students should be able to give examples that illustrate the transfer of…
Full specification wording
Types of electromagnetic waves: Students should be able to give examples that illustrate the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves.
The skill here is to name a source, the group of waves and the absorber, and then say what the energy does when it arrives.
Checked against the AQA 8463 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 5 of 5
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
The skill here is to name a source, the group of waves and the absorber, and then say what the energy does when it arrives. Sunlight is absorbed by a solar cell and the energy is transferred to an electrical store. Infrared from a grill is absorbed by food, raising its internal energy store and its temperature. Microwaves are absorbed by the water in food, again raising the internal energy store. Radio waves are absorbed by an aerial and produce an alternating current in it. Ultraviolet is absorbed by the fluorescent coating in an energy efficient lamp, which then emits visible light. In every case energy leaves a source, travels as a wave with nothing material moving between them, and is transferred to a store in the absorber.
What earns the marks
- Naming the source of the radiation.
- Naming the store the energy is transferred to, such as the internal energy store of the food.
- Stating that energy is transferred without any matter travelling from source to absorber.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Writing that energy is used up rather than transferred to a named store.
Claiming microwaves heat food because they resonate with water molecules, when the marking point is that the water absorbs them and its internal energy store increases.
Giving an example with no absorber, such as light travels from the Sun.
Confusing infrared with visible light when describing a grill or a heater.
Exam tips
- Answer in the pattern source, wave, absorber, store; each part is often a separate mark.
- Use the word store when you say where the energy ends up, since that vocabulary is credited.
- Pick an example from the group of the spectrum the question names, not a general one.
Try the lesson
The start of the Types of electromagnetic waves: Students should be able to give examples that illustrate the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which example shows energy being transferred from the Sun to the Earth by electromagnetic waves?
Listen
The skill here is to name a source, the group of waves and the absorber, and then say what the energy does when it arrives. Sunlight is absorbed by a solar cell and the energy is transferred to an electrical store. Infrared from a grill is absorbed by food, raising its internal energy store and its temperature. Microwaves are absorbed by the water in food, again raising the internal energy store. Radio waves are absorbed by an aerial and produce an alternating current in it. Ultraviolet is absorbed by the fluorescent coating in an energy efficient lamp, which then emits visible light. In every case energy leaves a source, travels as a wave with nothing material moving between them, and is transferred to a store in the absorber. A strong answer earns marks for these points. naming the source of the radiation. naming the absorber. naming the store the energy is transferred to, such as the internal energy store of the food. stating that energy is transferred without any matter travelling from source to absorber. Exam tip: Answer in the pattern source, wave, absorber, store; each part is often a separate mark.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
source and absorber
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
energy stores
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
solar cells
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
heating by infrared
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- source and absorber
- Energy leaves a source, travels as a wave with nothing material moving between them, and is transferred to a store in the absorber.
- energy stores
- The place where energy ends up in the absorber, such as the internal energy store of the food.
- solar cells
- Sunlight is absorbed by a solar cell and the energy is transferred to an electrical store.
- heating by infrared
- Infrared from a grill is absorbed by food, raising its internal energy store and its temperature.
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