Higher Tier Only: Refraction, Absorption, and Emission
Part of Electromagnetic Spectrum — GCSE Physics
This higher tier covers Higher Tier Only: Refraction, Absorption, and Emission within Electromagnetic Spectrum for GCSE Physics. Revise Electromagnetic Spectrum in Waves for GCSE Physics with 15 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 10 of 13 in this topic. This section is most useful once the core foundation idea is secure, because it adds the detail that pushes answers higher.
Topic position
Section 10 of 13
Practice
15 questions
Recall
15 flashcards
🎓 Higher Tier Only: Refraction, Absorption, and Emission
At Higher tier, you need to explain why EM waves are absorbed, reflected, or transmitted by different materials at a molecular level. When an EM wave hits a material, electrons in atoms can absorb its energy and jump to higher energy levels. The wave is absorbed. When electrons fall back down, a wave is re-emitted — possibly at the same or a different frequency.
Different materials absorb different frequencies. This is why glass is transparent to visible light but absorbs UV (UV-blocking windows). Carbon dioxide absorbs infrared — this is the greenhouse effect.
Quick Check: Why can radio waves be used to communicate between Earth and satellites, but sound cannot?
Radio waves are EM waves and can travel through a vacuum. Sound is a mechanical wave that requires a medium (particles) to travel — space is (nearly) a vacuum, so sound cannot travel through it.