final exam Flashcards
pressure
force/area or densitygheight of a fluid
gauge pressure
total pressure minus atmospheric pressure
simple harmonic oscillator
undergoes simple harmonic motion due to a restoring force, F=-kx
amplitude
maximum displacement from equilibrium
cycle
one motion going out and returning to the starting position
period (T)
time required to complete one cycle
frequency
cycles per second in units hertz
f=1/T
period of oscillation for a mass on a spring
T=2pi square root of m/k
sinusoidal equation for oscillation
x(t)=Acos(2pift)
period of oscillation for a pendulum
T=2pi square root of l/g
energy of a simple harmonic oscillator
E=1/2mv^2+1/2kx^2=1/2kA^2
transverse waves
the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction a wave travels
longitudinal waves
the oscillations are parallel to the line of travel
wavelength
the distance between two successive crests ( λ)
speed of a wave
v= λf
intensity of a wave
energy per unit time carried across an area
the principle of superposition
when two waves pass through the same region of space they interfere and the resulting displacement is the sum of their individual displacements
constructive interference
the two waves are acting in phase and the resulting displacement is larger than the individuals
destructive interference
the two waves are in opposite phase and the resulting displacement is less than the individuals
standing waves
occur at certain frequencies when the ends of a wave are fixed at nodes
node
point of destructive interference where no oscillation can occur
antinode
points of constructive interference, maximum amplitude occurs
formulas for wavelengths of standing waves in terms of the length of a stretched string
L= λ/2 n=1
L= λ n=2
L= λn/2 n>2
