General wave properties

Question 1

What is wave

Answer 1

A regular disturbance transferring energy in the direction of the wave’s propagation without transferring matter

Question 2

What is a transverse wave

Answer 2

A wave in which oscillations are at right angles (perpendicular) to the direction of its motion

Question 3

Give an example of transverse waves

Answer 3

Waves on a string, all electromagnetic waves, ripples on the water, vibrations on guitar strings

Question 4

What is a longitudinal wave

Answer 4

A wave where the oscillations are parallel (same direction) to the direction of motion

Question 5

Give examples of longitudinal waves

Answer 5

Pulses along a spring, sound waves, ultrasound

Question 6

Transverse waveforms have ____

Answer 6

Peaks and Troughs

Question 7

Longitudinal waveforms have _____

Answer 7

compressions and rarefractions

Question 8

Wavelenght is ______

Answer 8

The shortest distnce between two consecutive waves

Question 9

Displacement is ______

Answer 9

• The distnce from equilibrium position

- At maximum distance, this is the amplitude

Question 10

Frequency is _____

Answer 10

The number of complete waves passing a given point per second, or the number of waves per second produced by the source

Question 11

State the wave equation

Answer 11

v = λ x f

Question 12

What is refraction

Answer 12

Refraction is the change in speed of a wave when crossing a boundary between two media, resulting in a change in direction

Question 13

what property of a wave is not changed by refraction

Answer 13

The frequency

Question 14

What happens when waves are incident on a flat surface

Answer 14

Reflection

Question 15

A stronger reflected wave is produced when ___

Answer 15

The surface is smoother

Question 16

Why do rough surfaces appear matt when illuminated

Answer 16

The reflected rays are scattered in all directions

Question 17

When entering a denser material, light waves ____

Answer 17

slow down, and bend towards the normal

Question 18

When entering a less dense material, light waves ___

Answer 18

speed up and bend away from the normal

Question 19

What is diffraction?

Answer 19

The spreading out of waves passing through a narrow gap or across an edge

Question 20

What size of gap produces the largest diffraction?

Answer 20

A gap of the same width as the wavelength of the wave passing through it

Question 21

What is a ripple tank

Answer 21

A shallow glass tank with an oscilliating paddle/ needle to create waves. It is illuminated from above so waves can best seen on the surface below the tank

Question 22

Describe how to demostrate reflection using a ripple tank

Answer 22

Waves will reflect of the glass sides of the tank

Question 23

Describe how to demonstrate refraction using a triple tank

Answer 23

Place a glass box across half of the floor of the ripple tank. The waves will change speed when travelling through the less dense area.

Question 24

Describe how to demonstrate diffraction using a triple tank

Answer 24

Place two glass blocks in the middle of the tank, leaving a small gap, and observe the pattern of the waves