Chapter 5: Waves Flashcards
What is a progressive wave?
A wave that travels through a substance or space, transferring energy
What is amplitude?
A wave’s maximum displacement from its equilibrium position
What is the wavelength?
The distance between two adjacent wave peaks
What is frequency?
The number of cycles per second, measured in Hz.
What is the period?
The time taken for one complete cycle, measured in seconds.
What does it mean if particles or points on a wave are in phase?
The particles move in the same direction with the same speed. Same displacement from the equilibrium position.
Separated by whole number of wavelengths, nλ
What does it mean if particles or points on a wave are in antiphase?
The particles move in opposite directions with the same speed. Opposite displacements from equilibrium position.
Separated by whole number plus a half wavelength nλ + 0.5λ
What does it mean if particles or points on a wave are out of phase?
The particles are at different points in their cycle at a particular time.
How does a wave change on reflection off a denser medium?
Has a phase change of 180 degrees, pi radians
What is a transverse wave?
A wave in which particles oscillate perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer, eg electromagnetic waves, secondary seismic waves
What is a longitudinal wave?
A wave in which particles oscillate parallel to the direction of energy transfer, eg sound waves, primary seismic waves
What are mechanical waves?
A wave that needs a medium to travel through so cannot travel through a vacuum, eg seismic waves, sound waves
What is polarisation?
The restriction of a wave so that it can only oscillate in one plane.
What is a polarised wave?
A wave in which the oscillations are confined to one plane
Why can longitudinal waves not be polarised?
The particles always oscillate along the direction of energy transfer
What is crossing the polarisers?
When a second polarising filter is held at right angles to the original filter (producing no wave)