P12 - Waves

Question 1

How are transverse and longitudinal waves different?

Answer 1

Transverse waves oscillate perpendicular to the direction of energy. Longitudinal waves oscillate parallel to the direction of energy transfer.

Question 2

What kind of waves are electromagnetic waves?

Answer 2

Transverse

Question 3

What kind of waves are sound waves?

Answer 3

Longitudinal

Question 4

What do mechanical waves need?

Answer 4

A medium to travel through. They can be transverse or longitudinal.

Question 5

Amplitude?

Answer 5

Maximum displacement of a point on the wave from its undisturbed position. (Basically from the straight line through the middle of the wave to the maximum point up or down.)

Question 6

Frequency?

Answer 6

Number of waves a second.

Question 7

Wave speed?

Answer 7

V=fλ

Question 8

Where does refraction occur?

Answer 8

At a boundary between 2 different materials or densities, waves can be transmitted or absorbed.

Question 9

Sound waves cannot…

Answer 9

Travel through a vacuum

Question 10

Equation to work out speed of waves (echos)

Answer 10

S=2d (distance to wall and back)/t ( time delay)

Question 11

To investigate waves, use…

Answer 11

• A ripple tank for water waves
• a spring for waves in a solid - (find one wave, note the frequency, work out speed.)
• a signal generator and a loudspeaker for sound waves.