IB Physics—Option A: Sight and Wave Phenomena
A1: The eye and sight
Statement
Assessment Statement
Number
Describe the basic structure of the human eye
A.1.1
*limisted to those features affecting the physical operation of the eye
State and explain the process of depth of vision and accommodation
A.1.2
*also included in this: the near point and the far point of the eye for
normal vision
State that the retina contains rods and cones, and describe the variation in
A.1.3
density across the surface of the retina
Describe the function of the rods and of the cones in photopic and
scotopic vision
A.1.4
*note: you should be able to sketch and interpret spectral response
graphs and give an explanation for color blindness
Describe color mixing of light by addition and subtraction
A.1.5
*including identifying the primary and secondary colors of light
Discuss the effect of light and dark, and color, on the perception of
objects.
*note: consider architectural effects of light and shadow, i.e. deep shadow
A.1.6
gives the impression of massiveness. Glow gives an impression of
“warmth”; light and shadow are used to change the perceived size of a
room
A2: Standing (stationary) waves
Statement
Assessment Statement
Number
Describe the nature of standing waves
A.2.1
*students should consider energy transfer, amplitude and phase
Explain the formation of one-dimensional standing waves
A.2.2
*i.e. on a string or in an air-filled tube. Understand nodes and antinodes
Discuss the modes of vibration of strings and air in open and in closed
A.2.3
pipes
A.2.4
Compare standing waves and travelling waves
A.2.5
Solve problems involving standing waves
A3: Doppler Effect
Statement
Assessment Statement
Number
A.3.1
Describe what is meant by the Doppler effect
Explain the Doppler effect by reference to wavefront diagrams for movingA.3.2
detector and moving-source situations
A.3.3
Apply the Doppler effect equations for sound
A.3.4
Solve problems on the Doppler effect for sound
A.3.5
Solve problems on the Doppler effect for electromagnetic waves using the
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approximation: f 
A.3.6
v
f
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Outline an example in which the Doppler effect is used to measure speed.
*i.e. blood-flow measurements; radar guns used to measure vehicle
speeds
A4: Diffraction
Statement
Assessment Statement
Number
Sketch the variation with angle of diffraction of the relative intensity of light
A.4.1
diffracted at a single slit.
A.4.2
A.4.3
Derive the formula:  

for the position of the first minimum of the
b
diffraction pattern produced at a single slit
Solve problems involving single-slit diffraction
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A5: Resolution
Statement
Assessment Statement
Number
Sketch the variation with angle of diffraction of the relative intensity of light
A.5.1
emitted by two point sources that has been diffracted at a single slit.
State the Rayleigh criterion for images of two sources to be just resolved

A.5.2
*including the criterion for a circular aperture:   1.22
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b
A.5.3
A.5.4
Describe the significance of resolution in the development of devices such
as CDs and DVDs, the electron microscope and radio telescopes
Solve problems involving resolution
A6: Polarization
Statement
Assessment Statement
Number
A.6.1
Describe what is meant by polarized light
A.6.2
Describe polarization by reflection
A.6.3
State and apply Brewster’s law
A.6.4
Explain the terms polarizer and analyser
Calculate the intensity of a transmitted beam of polarized light using
A.6.5
Malus’ law
A.6.6
Describe what is meant by an optically active substance
Describe the use of polarization in the determination of the concentration
A.6.7
of certain solutions
A.6.8
Outline qualitatively how polarization may be used in stress analysis
A.6.9
Outline qualitatively the action sof liquid-crystal displays (LCDs).
A.6.10
Solve problems involving the polarization of light
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