Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

A Level Physics > Chapter 11 - Wave 1 > Flashcards

Chapter 11 - Wave 1 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Physics 101 flashcards AP® Physics flashcards
1
Q

What is a wave?

A

A wave is a method of transferring energy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is amplitude?

A

Amplitude is the distance between the equilibrium position and the crest or trough

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the formula for amplitude?

A

(Crest - Trough)///2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the difference between P and S waves?

A

P waves are longitudinal, can only travel through solids
S waves are transverse, travel through solid and liquids

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is a progressive wave?

A

A progressive wave is an oscillation that travels through matter (in some cases, a vacuum). All progressive waves transfer energy from one place to another; particles in the matter vibrate, but they do not move along the wave

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What does dampening/attenuating mean?

A

The medium a wave travels through can dampen/attenuate the wave, which means to take energy away

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How do particles act in a progressive wave?

A

When a progressive wave travels through a medium, particles in the medium move from their original equilibrium position to a new position and back

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is the restoring force?

A

Particles In the medium exert forces on each other, a displaced particle experiences a restoring force to be pulled back to its original position by its neighbour particles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How can a waves speed be changed?

A

A wave remains at the same speed unless the density of the medium is changed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the oscillations of a transverse wave like?

A

Transverse waves oscillate perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer: the peaks and troughs are where oscillating particles are at maximum displacement from equilibrium position

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is a misconception about particles in transverse and longitudinal waves?

A

The particles do not move constantly forward, but oscillate around the same equilibrium position

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are oscillations in a longitudinal waves

A

Longitudinal waves oscillate parallel to the direction of energy transfer: the compressions and rarefactions are where oscillating particles are closest and furthest separate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the amplitude of a longitudinal wave?

A

The amplitude in the distance a particle moves back and forth divided by 2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is the displacement of a wave?

A

The distance from the equilibrium position in a particular direction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is the amplitude of a wave?

A

Maximum displacement form the equilibrium position

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the wavelength of a wave?

A

Minimum distance between two of the same points in adjacent waves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is the time period of oscillation?

A

The time take for one oscillation
The time taken for a wave to move one whole wavelength past a given point

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is frequency?

A

The number of wavelengths passing a given point per unit of time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is wave speed?

A

The distance travelled by the wave per unit of time

V = Frequency *** Wavelength

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is the phase of a particle/point?

A

The phase of a particle/point is the fraction of a complete cycle/wave that a particle/point is at

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is the phase difference?

A

The phase difference is the difference in the phase between 2 points along the same wave between two waves at any given point in time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

How long is one complete wave in radians and degrees?

A

360O
or
2pi Radians

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is the formula for a phase?

A

Phase === Fraction of Wave Completed *** 2pi

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is the formula for phase difference?

A

Phase difference === d/W *** 2pi

Where ‘d’ is the distance between two points and ‘W’ is wavelength

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What does it mean if two waves are in phase?

A

The two waves line on each other so that the phase difference is an even multiple of pi

26
Q

What does it mean if two waves are out of phase?

A

If two waves are out of phase, they lie slightly off each other so that the phase difference is somewhere between 0 and ‘n’pi

27
Q

What does it mean if two waves are antiphase?

A

If two waves are antiphase, they lie completely off each other so that where they intersect, they move in completely different directions

This makes the phase difference an odd multiple of pi

28
Q

When is phase difference constant?

A

When two waves of the same frequency meet at a point as time moves forward

29
Q

When is phase difference changing?

A

When two waves of different frequencies meet at a point, as time moves forward

30
Q

What are wavefronts?

A

Wavefronts are lines of constant phase so that a change in wavefronts illustrates a wave phenomenon

31
Q

What is diffraction?

A

Diffraction is where waves pass through a gap and spread out; this is a unique property of waves

32
Q

What is reflection?

A

Reflection is when a wave reverses direction upon meeting the boundary between two different mediums

33
Q

What is the law of reflection?

A

The law of reflection is the angle of incidence ‘I’ is equal to the angle of reflection ‘R’

34
Q

What is refraction?

A

Refraction is when a wave changes speed and/or direction upon crossing the boundary between two different mediums

35
Q

What changes when a wave refracts?

A

If a wave is refracted, the speed always changes. This leads to a change in wavelength as frequency is constant
Direction only changes if the angle of incidence is not 0

36
Q

What does the distance between wavefronts mean?

A

When wavefronts are closer, they are travelling slower, as more wavelengths have to go pass to travel the same distance

37
Q

What does the relationship between the angle of refraction to the angle of incidence?

A

R > I

38
Q

What happens to a wave when it slows down?

A

When a wave slows down, it bends towards the normal and wavelength gets shorter

39
Q

What happens to a wave when it speeds up?

A

When a wave speeds up, it bends away from the normal and wavelength gets longer

40
Q

What is the relationship between physical density and speed?

A

The greater the physical density of a medium, the faster the mechanical wave or sound wave

41
Q

What is the relationship between optical density and speed?

A

The greater the optical density of a medium, the slower the EM wave

42
Q

What is diffraction?

A

Diffraction is the phenomenon of waves spreading out when passing through a gap or around an obstacle

43
Q

What affects the amount of diffraction occur?

A

The narrower the gap, the greater the diffraction
The longer the wavelength, the more the greater the diffraction

44
Q

What do not change upon diffraction?

A

Wavespeed and Wavelength do not change upon diffraction

45
Q

What has to be the case between wavelength and gap size for diffraction to occur?

A

Gap size has to be of a similar magnitude to wavelength
The smaller the gap compared to wavelength the greater the refraction

46
Q

What waves experience polarisation?

A

Transverse Waves

47
Q

What is the plane of polarisation?

A

The plane of polarisation of an EM wave is defined as a plane of which the electrical field vibrates

48
Q

What types of waves are most sources of light?

A

Unpolarised EM waves

49
Q

What does unpolarised waves mean?

A

Unpolarised means it consists of different waves that have their electrical field aligned in different planes

50
Q

What are the 2 ways EM waves are polarised?

A

Absorption (Polaroid Filters)
Reflection (Sunglasses)

51
Q

What is the plane of alignment?

A

The plane of alignment of a polaroid filter is the plane which it will allow electrical field oscillations to pass

52
Q

What does a polarisation filter allow through?

A

The filter allows the e-fields aligned in the same plane as alignment, as well as components of all other waves in the same plane as alignment

53
Q

What does it mean if the plane of polarisation matches the plane of alignment?

A

100% of the wave is transmitted, and it loses half the intensity

54
Q

What does it mean if the plane of polarisation is at some angle to the plane of alignment?

A

< 100% of the wave is transmitted
Intensity is directly proportional to cos2x

55
Q

What does it mean if the plane of polarisation is perpendicular to the plane of alignment?

A

0% of the wave is transmitted

56
Q

What happens to light reflected off metal and water?

A

Light waves are mostly polarised in the horizontal plane

57
Q

How do sunglasses filter light?

A

Sunglasses have vertical polaroid filters to block horizontal polarised light

58
Q

Wa=hat is the definition of intensity?

A

Intensity is defined as power per unit area

59
Q

What is the formula for intensity?

A

Intensity = Power (W) /// Cross-A (m2)

60
Q

What is the formula for intensity with a given distance?

A

Intensity = Power /// 4pi(r2)

61
Q

What is the relationship between distance and intensity?

A

Intensity is inversely proportional to the radius squared

62
Q

What is the relationship between amplitude and intensity?

A

Intensity is directly proportional to amplitude squared

A Level Physics (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions