6.1 BASICS

Question 1

What are the two types of waves?

Answer 1

1. Transverse

2. Longitudinal

Question 2

What is a transverse wave?

Answer 2

A wave for which the oscillations are
perpendicular to the direction of energy
transfer.

Question 3

What is a longitudinal wave?

Answer 3

A wave for which the oscillations are
parallel to the direction of energy
transfer.

Question 4

Give two examples of transverse waves.

Answer 4

1. Electromagnetic waves

2. Seismic s-waves

Question 5

Give two examples of longitudinal

waves.

Answer 5

1. Sound waves

2. Seismic p-waves

Question 6

What are the two parts of a longitudinal

wave called?

Answer 6

Compressions and rarefactions.

Question 7

What is a wave’s amplitude?

Answer 7

The maximum displacement of a point

on a wave from its undisturbed position

Question 8

What is wavelength?

Answer 8

● The distance from a point on a wave to
the same position on the adjacent
wave
● Most commonly peak to peak or
trough to trough

Question 9

What is the frequency of a wave?

Answer 9

The number of waves that pass a given

point each second

Question 10

What is meant by a frequency of 200Hz?

Answer 10

200 waves pass a given point each

second

Question 11

What is wave speed?

Answer 11

The speed at which the wave moves or
at which energy is transferred through a
medium.

Question 12

What does a wave transfer?

Answer 12

Energy

Question 13

State the equation used to calculate

wave speed. Give appropriate units.

Answer 13

Wave Speed = Frequency x Wavelength
Speed (m/s), Frequency (Hz),
Wavelength (m)

Question 14

What word is used to describe when a

wave bounces off a surface?

Answer 14

Reflection

Question 15

How do sound waves travel through a

solid?

Answer 15

The particles in the solid vibrate and
transfer kinetic energy through the
material.

Question 16

What is the frequency range of human

hearing?

Answer 16

20 Hz - 20kHz

1kHz = 1000 Hz

Question 17

What are ultrasound waves?

Answer 17

Waves which have a frequency higher
than the upper limit of human hearing
(20kHz).

Question 18

Give an example use for ultrasound

waves?

Answer 18

Medical or industrial imaging.

Question 19

What natural event causes seismic
waves to be produced? What types are
produced?

Answer 19

● Earthquakes
● They produce both P-waves and
S-waves

Question 20

State a difference between the mediums
that P-waves and S-waves can travel
through.

Answer 20

● P-waves travel through both solids and
liquids
● S-waves only travel through solids
(not liquids)

Question 21

What technique is used to detect objects

in deep water and measure water depth?

Answer 21

● Echo sounding
● High frequency sound waves are emitted,
reflected and detected
● Time difference between emission and detection,
alongside wave speed, are used to calculate
distances