P5: Waves

Question 1

What do waves do?

Answer 1

Transfer energy without transferring matter.

Question 2

Mechanical waves

Answer 2

A vibration that travels through a substance.

Question 3

Longitudinal waves

Answer 3

Waves in which the vibrations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer.

Question 4

Transverse waves

Answer 4

Waves in which the vibrations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.

Question 5

Electromagnetic waves

Answer 5

Can travel through a vacuum, no medium is needed.

Question 6

Examples of mechanical waves

Answer 6

sound, water, seismic

Question 7

Examples of electromagnetic waves

Answer 7

light, radio, micro

Question 8

Examples of Transverse waves

Answer 8

All electromagnetic waves and water waves (and demonstration by slinky)

Question 9

Example of longitudinal waves

Answer 9

Sound and Seismic waves. (and demonstration by slinky)

Question 10

Amplitude

Answer 10

Height of the wave crest.

Question 11

The bigger the amplitude of the waves…

Answer 11

…. the more energy the waves carry.

Question 12

Wavelength

Answer 12

Upside down y

Is the distance between two adjacent crests (or troughs) the unit of wavelength is meters

Question 13

Frequency

Answer 13

F

It is the number of oscillations made by a particle of the medium each second (I.e. It is the number of wavelengths to pass a given point in one second) unit is Hertz, Hz

Question 14

Speed of waves

Answer 14

Distance travelled by a wave crest every second.

Question 15

Wave speed (m/s) =

Answer 15

Frequency (Hz) x Wavelength (m)

Question 16

The Time Period

Answer 16

T

of a wave is the time taken for one complete oscillation or the time taken for one complete wavelength to pass a given point. The unit of the time period: seconds.