Chapter 7 - Waves Flashcards
What is a medium
Any object or area that consists of matter or contains matter that can transfer energy between matter/particles that the medium is made up from
what is a pulse
single disturbance
1 complete to and fro cycle of a vibrating system
what is a transverse pulse
when the direction of a disturbance is the medium is perpendicular to the direction in which pulse travels
what is a crest
max displacement of particles above rest position
what is pulse length
distance between the 1st displaced particle in the medium to the last displaced particle
what is rest position
initial position of the medium
what is amplitude
max displacement of the particles of the medium from their rest position
what’s a trough
max displacement of the particles below their rest position
what is interference
when 2/more pulses meet each other / move over each other, the resultant pulse will change shape
what is superposition
amplitude of the resultant pulse at any point is the algebraic sum of the amplitudes of the individual pulses at that point
what is constructive interference
both pulses meet on the same said is rest position, the resultant pulse merges & amplitude is bigger than amplitudes of the individual pulses
what is destructive interference
pulses meet on different sides of rest position
resultant pulse is smaller then amplitudes of individual pulses
what is a longitudinal pulse
disturbance of medium is in same direction as direction in which pulse travels
what is a wave
succession of pulses
what’s a node
occur at positions where destructive interference takes place
what’s antinodes
occur at positions where constructive interference takes place
