Intro Flashcards
WIA travelling wave?
A disturbance that travels through space with a well defined speed.
Transfers energy but not material or substance.
WIA tranverse wave?
Displacement/energy propagation perpendicular to direction of travel
WIA longitudinal wave?
Displacement/energy propagation parallel to direction of travel
What is the 1D wave equation?
What is the general solution of the wave equation?
Are the following funtions solutions of the 1D wave equation
What is dispersion
The variation of wavespeed with wavelength. Longer waves appear to travel faster than shorter ones. This causes refraction.
What is a consequence of dispersion?
The shape of a non-sinusoidal wave changes as it propagates. The shape of the wave is not conserved.
What is Phase velocity?
The velocity of a carrier wave. The velocity associated with fixed value of phase.
What is group velocity
The speed with which the envelope advances. Energy is carried by groups of waves, therefore usually travel at group velocity.
WI Equation of Phase velocity?
What is the group velocity (eq)(of an envelope)?
What is the phase velocity vp and group velocity vg of a NON-DISPERSIVE wave?
Intro 3
State equation of a plane wave
What is the 3D wave equation (generalise 1D to 3D)
What is the general solution? (Transform symmetric wave eq to a 1 dimensional wave eq and solve)
What is the General solution of a 3D symmetric wave? And what do the -/+ signs signify?
T/F? The amplitude of any spherical wave decreases as 1/r? Why?
What is the eq of a harmonic spherical wave?
