Sight and Sound Glossary
Addition making colours by adding different coloured lights together
Cochlea inner ear structure containing fine sensory hairs that convert vibrations into electrical impulses sent to the brain
Concave a surface that is curved inwards (like a C)
Converging lens a lens which bends light inwards to a focal point; also called a convex lens
Convex a surface that is curved outwards (like the outside of a cylinder)
Cornea skin covering the front of the eye which allows light to pass through it
Dispersion the splitting up of white light into the spectrum of colours (ROYGBIV)
Diverging lens a lens which bends light outwards; also called a concave lens
Ear canal narrow passage that focuses sound waves onto the eardrum
Eardrum thin membrane that vibrates when sound travels through it
Electromagnetic radiation energy radiated from the sun
Electromagnetic spectrum the range of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation e.g. gamma waves, X-rays, ultraviolet, visible and infra-red
Focus point at which rays of light meet after reflection from a curved mirror (or refraction by a lens)
Hearing the ability to detect sound waves
Incident ray a ray of light coming towards a surface
Iris the coloured part of an eye which controls the amount of light entering the eye
Law of reflection the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection
Law of refraction when light enters an optically dense medium (e.g. from air to glass) it slows down and bends towards the normal
Lens focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eyeball
Light the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum
Longitudinal waves waves that vibrate parallel to the direction of their movement e.g. sound waves
Medium transparent material (like air, glass and water) that light can pass through
Middle ear bones hammer, anvil and stirrup; tiny bones that move when the eardrum vibrates sending vibrations into the inner ear
Mirror a smooth reflective surface that reflects a clear image
Normal an imaginary line drawn at 90° to the surface of the mirror
Opaque an object that does not allow light to pass through it
Optic nerve the nerve that sends impulses (messages) from the eye to the brain
Optical density measure of how fast light can travel through a medium
Pinna the external ear structure (ear flap)
Pupil hole in the iris that allows light to enter the eyeball
Reflected ray a ray of light moving away from a surface after reflection
Reflection the change in direction of light rays after 'bouncing off' the surface of objects
Reflector an object that does not emit light but is bright because it reflects light from another object (e.g. the moon)Refraction the bending of light rays when they pass from one transparent substance or medium to another (e.g. air to water)
Retina layer at the back of the eyeball which contains vision receptors
Shadow an area that light cannot reach because it is being blocked by an object
Sight the ability to detect light waves
Source an object that gives off its own light (e.g. the sun)
Cochlea inner ear structure containing fine sensory hairs that convert vibrations into electrical impulses sent to the brain
Concave a surface that is curved inwards (like a C)
Converging lens a lens which bends light inwards to a focal point; also called a convex lens
Convex a surface that is curved outwards (like the outside of a cylinder)
Cornea skin covering the front of the eye which allows light to pass through it
Dispersion the splitting up of white light into the spectrum of colours (ROYGBIV)
Diverging lens a lens which bends light outwards; also called a concave lens
Ear canal narrow passage that focuses sound waves onto the eardrum
Eardrum thin membrane that vibrates when sound travels through it
Electromagnetic radiation energy radiated from the sun
Electromagnetic spectrum the range of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation e.g. gamma waves, X-rays, ultraviolet, visible and infra-red
Focus point at which rays of light meet after reflection from a curved mirror (or refraction by a lens)
Hearing the ability to detect sound waves
Incident ray a ray of light coming towards a surface
Iris the coloured part of an eye which controls the amount of light entering the eye
Law of reflection the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection
Law of refraction when light enters an optically dense medium (e.g. from air to glass) it slows down and bends towards the normal
Lens focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eyeball
Light the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum
Longitudinal waves waves that vibrate parallel to the direction of their movement e.g. sound waves
Medium transparent material (like air, glass and water) that light can pass through
Middle ear bones hammer, anvil and stirrup; tiny bones that move when the eardrum vibrates sending vibrations into the inner ear
Mirror a smooth reflective surface that reflects a clear image
Normal an imaginary line drawn at 90° to the surface of the mirror
Opaque an object that does not allow light to pass through it
Optic nerve the nerve that sends impulses (messages) from the eye to the brain
Optical density measure of how fast light can travel through a medium
Pinna the external ear structure (ear flap)
Pupil hole in the iris that allows light to enter the eyeball
Reflected ray a ray of light moving away from a surface after reflection
Reflection the change in direction of light rays after 'bouncing off' the surface of objects
Reflector an object that does not emit light but is bright because it reflects light from another object (e.g. the moon)Refraction the bending of light rays when they pass from one transparent substance or medium to another (e.g. air to water)
Retina layer at the back of the eyeball which contains vision receptors
Shadow an area that light cannot reach because it is being blocked by an object
Sight the ability to detect light waves
Source an object that gives off its own light (e.g. the sun)