P5.1: Wave Behaviour Flashcards
Describe wavelength
Distance from one point on a wave to the same point on another
Units: metres
Symbol: lambda
Define frequency
The number of waves that passes in one second
Units: hertz (Hz)
Define amplitude
Distance from the middle to the top or the bottom of a wave
Units: no units, depends on the wave
Define Time Period
The amount of time that one wave takes to pass
Units: seconds
Frequency formula
1/Time Period
Velocity formula using frequency and wavelength
V = frequency x wavelength
What are longitudinal waves?
The direction of the wave is parallel to the direction of the vibration
What are transverse waves?
The direction of the wave is perpendicular to the vibration of the individual particles
What are compressions?
Areas of concentrated waves
What are rarefactions?
Low concentration of waves in a certain area
Examples of longitudinal waves
Sound
Examples of transverse waves
Water waves
EM Waves
What is the order of the EM spectrums?
Radio waves
Micro waves
Infra red
Visible light
Ultra violet
X rays
Gamma rays
What are the colours of visible light?
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Indigo
Violet
What is a medium?
Where waves are transferred to and from
What happens when waves travel from one medium to another?
Direction changes
Wave velocity changes
What are the 3 possibilities of what will happen when there isba boundary in the way of a wave?
Reflection
Transmission
Absorption
What happens during the reflection of a wave?
Comes straight back the same way
What happens during the transmission of a wave?
Goes through normally in the same direction and same speed, example of window
Different medium - refracted
What happens during the absorption of a wave
Boundary absorbs the energy of a wave
Walls - absorb light and sound so it doesnt go into other rooms
What is an ultrasound?
A very loud noise that we cannot hear, over 20,000 Hz
It uses sound waves to travel through a mothers tummy and create a formation of a babys image
Define sonar
Sound navigation and ranging
A way for ship people to find out how deep the sea is
Any object that can vibrate has a what?
A natural frequency
Resonance
When you apply a vibraton to an object at its natural frequency, the amplitude will go up
