Measuring speed of water wave Flashcards
What type of waves are water waves?
Water waves are mechanical, transverse waves.
What is a transverse wave?
Where the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.
How does the ripple tank experiment work?
- ) Motor is connected to power source and vibrates the “oscillating paddle”
- ) Oscillating paddle is placed on shallow water
- ) As it moved up and down, it creates waves
- ) The illuminating light projects image of waves onto screen (water that is deeper by there being a wave, will project as black lines –> representing crests of waves)
What are the steps to calculating the wave speed (cm/s)?
1.) Measure the length of 10 waves, using a ruler (increase accuracy of measurments)
2.) Divide length by 10 to work out mean wavelength
3.) Measure time for 10 waves to pass fixed point (increase accuracy)
4.) Divide this by ten, to work out time period.
5.) Use equation f=1/t to work out frequency
Frequency x wavelength = velocity
6.) Change frequency of wave using motor
Why do you work out the mean wavelength?
To make results more accurate
Why do you take repeated readings for wavelength?
To make results more reliable
What happens when you decrease the frequency?
The wavelength gets longer
The period increases
How are wavelength and frequency linked?
Wavlength is inversely proportional to frequency if speed is constant.
Why does frequency and amplitude not affect the speed of a wave?
As the medium isn’t affected
The speed will remain the same
Explain why water waves are transverse
- Water particles move up and down
- Water particles are perpendicular to the direction of the wave.
- Energy moves in direction of the wave
How does depth of water affect speed of waves?
Deeper = faster Shallower = slower
