Chapter 15 Flashcards
If a transverse wave is moving from right to left, the individual particles in the medium are moving _____________
up and down
Waves are often caused by _________
Vibrating objects
The ______________ of a longitudinal wave radiates outward from its source, while the particles vibrate back and forth about their original positions.
Wave front
A wave in which particle motion is perpendicular to wave motion
Transverse wave
A term that refers to the high point of a wave
Crest
A disturbance at the boundary between two media
Surface wave
A wave that requires a medium in which to travel
Mechanical wave
A wave in which particle motion is parallel to wave motion
Longitudinal wave
A wave that consists of oscillating electromagnetic fields, radiating outward at the speed of light
Electromagnetic wave
Our eyes can detect light only within a range of ____________ called visible light.
Frequencies
The maximum displacement of a particle by a wave is called
Amplitude
The ___________ is the distance between two crests of a wave.
Wavelength
The ____________ is the time it takes for one full vibration of a particle in a medium.
Period
__________ is the inverse of period.
Frequency
Calculate the wave speed for a wave with a wavelength of 2 m and a frequency of 0.3 Hz.
0.6 m/s
What is the period of a wave with a wave speed of 50 m/s and a wavelength of 10 mm?
0.2 s
The speed of a sound wave _______________.
Does not depend on wavelength, medium or amplitude.
Waves travel quickly in a ___________ because the molecules are closely packed and physically bonded together.
Solids
The Doppler effect is an observed change in a wave’s ________
Frequency
The combination of two or more waves that results in a single wave
Interference
The change in direction of a wave when it encounters an obstacle or edge
Diffraction
Interference that decreases amplitude
Destructive interference
A pattern of vibration that resembles a stationary wave
Standing wave
Points in a standing wave that have no vibration due to destructive interference.
Nodes
The bouncing back of a wave when it meets a surface or boundary
Reflection
Interference that increases amplitude
Constructive interference
Sounds produced by the interference of sound waves that are used to tune piano strings
Beats
The bending of waves as they pass from one medium to another at an angle
Refraction
Method of adding crests and troughs of interfering waves together to describe a new wave
Principle of superposition
Sound waves from a radio generally ravel in which medium?
air
