Concept 1: Nature and Properties of Waves Flashcards
Carries energy without carrying matter from place to place.
Wave
What is an example of electromagnetic waves?
Light waves
What are two examples of mechanical waves?
Sound waves and water waves.
A medium can be…
Solid, liquid, or gas
In transverse waves, particle motion is __________ to wave motion
Perpendicular
What are some example of transverse waves?
Electromagnetic waves, vibrations in string instruments, ripples of surface of water.
In longitudinal waves, particle motion is ________ to wave motion.
Parallel
What are some examples of longitudinal waves?
Sound waves, ultrasounds, waves made with a slinky
In transverse waves there is _____ and a ____.
Crest and peak
In transverse waves the, amplitude is the…
height of the wave.
In longitudinal waves, the amplitude is the…
the amount of compression in the wave.
Wavelength is measured in…
m
These waves are crest to crest, or trough to trough.
Transverse waves
The waves are compression to compression or rarefaction to rarefaction.
Longitudinal waves
Period (T), is measured in…
s
Frequency is measured in…
Hertz
1 Hertz =
1/s or s^-1
Frequency and wavelength have an…
Inverse relationship
The lower the frequency,
the higher the wavelength.
The higher the frequency,
the lower shorter the wavelength.
Wave speed is measured in…
m/s
Mechanical waves (like sound) must travel through…
particles
Sound travels through particles, therefore travel fastest through
solids
This is dependent on the type of wave and properties of the medium the wave is traveling through.
Speed
Electromagnetic waves (like light) do not need a
Medium
Electromagnetic waves (like light) travel fastest through a
vacuum
Electromagnetic waves (like light) travel slowest through
solids
