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WavesWavesElectromagnetic SpectrumSpeed of Light

AQA GCSE · Question 01.5 · Waves

Visible light and infrared radiation travel from the Sun to the Earth. Which statement describes the time taken for visible light and infrared radiation to travel from the Sun to the Earth?

Answer options:

A.

Visible light takes less time than infrared radiation

B.

Visible light takes the same time as infrared radiation

C.

Visible light takes more time than infrared radiation

How to approach this question

Recall the properties of electromagnetic waves. Consider how the speed of different types of electromagnetic waves compares when travelling through the vacuum of space.

Full Answer

B.Visible light takes the same time as infrared radiation✓ Correct
Visible light takes the same time as infrared radiation
Visible light and infrared radiation are both types of electromagnetic (EM) waves. A key property of all EM waves is that they travel at the same speed in a vacuum, which is known as the speed of light (approximately 300,000,000 m/s). Since they travel the same distance from the Sun to the Earth at the same speed, they take the same amount of time.

Common mistakes

✗ Thinking that different types of EM waves have different speeds in a vacuum.\n✗ Confusing properties like wavelength or frequency with speed.

Practice the full AQA GCSE Physics Foundation Tier Paper 2

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