5.1 Wave Behaviour Flashcards
Amplify (a signal)
Increase the amplitude, make louder
Amplitude
The maximum displacement of a wave
Echo
A reflection of sound
Echo-sounding
A process of finding distance using the time for the reflection of a pulse of sound
Electromagnetic wave
A wave that consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields; one of a spectrum ranging from radio waves to gamma waves
Frequency
The number of waves per second (related to the pitch of a sound)
Longitudinal
A wave whose vibrations are in the same direction as the the direction of energy transfer of the wave
mechanical waves
Waves that require a medium (eg. Air, water) to travel through
Microphone
A device that converts a sound wave into an electrical signal
Natural frequency
The frequency at which an object oscillates if it is displaced
Normal
A line at 90 degrees to the surface where the wave hits it
Oscilloscope
A device that shows a changing potential difference on a screen
Ossicles
The small bones found in the middle ear that vibrate when a sound wave enters the ear. They amplify the vibration before passing it on to the oval window.
Oval window
A part of the inner wave that receives vibrations from ossicles, passing them on to the cochlea
Refraction
The change in direction of a wave when its speed changes as a result of going from one medium to another
Resonance
The large-amplitude oscillation that happens when you make something oscillate at its natural frequency
Sonar
Sound navigation and ranging, a method of working out the distance to objects or navigating using sound
Sound wave
A wave produced by a vibration that needs a medium to travel through
Time period
The time for one wave to pass a given point, measured in seconds
Transverse
A wave whose vibration are at right angles to the direction of transfer of energy by the wave
Vibrations
The backwards and forwards motion of a solid, or particles, displaced from an equilibrium position
Wave velocity
The speed at which the energy of information of a wave is transferred, equal to frequency X wave length
Wave length
The distance from one point on a wave to the same point on the next wave
