P12 Properties of Waves Flashcards
What is the amplitude of a wave?
The maximum displacement of a point on a wave from its rest position.
Describe the oscillations of a longitudinal wave:
Move parallel to the direction of motion/energy transfer
Define the frequency of a wave:
The number of complete waves that pass through a point in a a second
Name the regions of longitudinal waves in which the particles are a) closer together and b) spread apart:
a) Compressions and b) rarefactions
List the 3 things that can happen if a wave hits a boundary:
- Absorption
- Transmission
- Reflection
What is the equation for wave speed?
v=fλ
Define the wavelength of a wave:
The distance between 2 consecutive peaks or troughs
What 3 things can happen to waves at a boundary?
Absorption, reflection or transmission
What happens when a wave is transmitted?
It carries on travelling through a surface
Why do refractions occur?
Waves travel faster in some mediums compared to others
What does not change when a wave refracts?
The frequency, so the wavelength changes
What are wavefronts?
Imaginary lines positioned along crests/troughs perpendicular to the motion of the wave
The more optically dense a material, the _______ the wavelength of the light passing through it.
Smaller
The less optically dense a material, the _______ the wavelength of the light passing through it.
Greater
If a wave slows down at a boundary, does it bend towards or away from the normal?
Towards
How are the angles of incidence and refraction related?
They are equal
When does specular reflection occur?
When parallel waves are reflected in the same direction off of a smooth surface
What is diffuse reflection?
When parallel waves are refracted off of a rough surface in various directions
