P12- Wave properties Flashcards
Waves transfer energy without transferring what?
matter
What can you use waves for?
transfer information
What happens after a small object is dropped in the water?
The waves travel across the surface but the water does not travel away from the object
What happens in terms of waves to a tuning fork vibrating?
makes sound waves travel through the air away from the tuning fork. The air itself doesn’t travel away from the vibrating object
The oscillations of a transverse wave are what?
perpendicular to the direction in which the waves transfer energy
The oscillations of a longitudinal wave are what?
parallel to the direction in which the waves transfer energy
What are oscillations?
vibrations
All electromagnetic waves are what waves?
transverse waves
What happens if the air itself does travel away from the vibrating object?
It becomes a vacuum
What type of wave is a mechanical wave?
Transverse or longitudinal
How do sound waves work?
When an object vibrates in air, it makes the air around it vibrate as pushes and pulls on the air
What is the amplitude?
Height of wave crest from the middle
Maximum displacement of a point on the wave from its undisturbed position
The bigger the amplitude, the more…
The more energy the waves carry
Longitudinal waves are made up of two things: what are they? [2 marks]
Compression and rarefaction
How would you describe a compression?
region in a longitudinal wave where the particles are close together
How would you describe rarefactions?
a region in a longitudinal wave where the particles are furthest apart.
What is a mechanical wave?
What is a mechanical wave? [3 marks]A wave that can only travel through a medium (substance) and requires particles to move, for instance, sound waves.
What is an electromagnetic wave?
A wave that is able to travel through a vacuum, for instance, light waves and radio waves.
What is the wavelength
distance from one crest to the next crest or from one trough to the next trough.
What is the frequency?
the number of wave crests passing a point in one second.
What are the units of frequency?
Hertz, Hz, waves per second
What is the period of a wave?
the time it takes for one wavelength pass a point.
How can you work out the period of a wave?
period of a wave = 1 / frequency (f)
How can you work out the speed of a wave?
v = fλ
What is the v in v=fλ
wave speed
What unit is wavelength measured in?
metres
In reflection and refraction, what are waves called that are travelling towards a barrier or boundary?
Incident waves
In reflection, what are waves called that are travelling away from a barrier or boundary after reflecting off it?
Reflection waves
In refraction, what are waves called that are travelling away from a barrier or boundary after crossing it?
Refraction waves
What happens in reflection?
Wave hits barrier-> the reflected wavefront moves away from the barrier at same angle to the barrier as the incident wavefront