General Wave Properties Flashcards
State 2 properties of waves
- it carries energy away from the wave source
- it transfers energy without transferring matter
What is speed v of a wave
Speed v is the distance moved by the wave per second
What is meant by the frequency of a wave?
It is the number of crests or troughs that pass a point per second
Or the number of complete waves generated per second
SI unit: Hz (hertz)
f=1/T
What is period T of a wave
Period T is the time taken to generate one complete wave
SI unit: s (second)
What is meant by the wavelength of a wave?
Wavelength 入 is the distance between two successive crests or two successive troughs in a wave
SI base unit: m (metre)
What is the Amplitude A of a wave
Amplitude A is the magnitude of the maximum displacement from the rest position (or equilibrium position) of the wave
This is given by the height of the crest or depth of the trough from the rest position
What is a wavefront?
It is the line joining all the crests (or all points which are in phase) on a wave
In a plane wave, the wavefronts are straight lines
State the wave equation
Velocity = frequency x wavelength
What is a longitudinal wave?
Longitudinal waves are waves which travel in a direction parallel to the direction of the vibrations
What are transverse waves?
Transverse waves are waves which travel in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the vibrations
What is a wave?
A wave is a phenomenon in which energy is transferred from one place to another through vibrations without the transfer of particles
