Waves and Atomic Structure
Wave types are easy to distinguish: transverse waves move perpendicular to their direction of travel, whilst longitudinal waves move parallel to it. Radio wave transmission works through electron oscillations in aerials.
Atomic structure gets more interesting when you dig deeper. The nucleus contains protons and neutrons (nucleons). Atomic number tells you the proton count, whilst mass number includes both protons and neutrons. Isotopes are atoms with the same protons but different neutrons.
Light refraction follows simple rules - rays entering and leaving a medium stay parallel, and rays along the normal line pass straight through unchanged.
Electrons can only exist in specific electron shells around the nucleus. When they absorb energy, they jump to higher shells; when falling back, they emit electromagnetic radiation.
Background radiation exists everywhere from space and environmental radioactive substances. Half-life measures how long it takes for half the unstable nuclei in a radioactive sample to decay.
Memory Aid: Remember isotopes as "same house (element), different furniture (neutrons)" - same element, different mass numbers.