Measuring Waves Flashcards
1
Q
What measurements would you need to take to find the speed of water ripples?
A
You would need to measure the wavelength of the ripples, and their frequency. Alternatively, you could measure the distance travelled by a single crest or trough in a given time
2
Q
Janine is finding the wavelength of waves in a ripple tank. She measures the distance between crests that are ten wavelengths apart, then divides this measurement by ten. Explain why Janine does this instead of just measuring a single wavelength.
A
By taking a larger measurement and dividing, Janine reduces the percentage uncertainty in her measurement, and so reduces the percentage uncertainty in her final result.
