P6 - Waves 1 Flashcards
What are the two types of waves?
- Transverse
- Longitudinal
What is a transverse wave?
A wave for which the oscillations ( vibrations) are perpendicular to the direction of energy trasnfer
What is a longitudinal wave ?
A wave for which the oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer
Give two examples of transverse waves
- Electromagnetic waves
- Seismic s-waves
Give two examples of longitudinal waves.
- Sound waves
- Seismic p-waves
What are the two parts of a longitudinal wave called ?
Compressions and rarefractions
What is a waves amplitude?
The maximum displacement of a point on a wave from its undisturbed position .
What is wavelength ?
- the distance from a point on a wave to the same position on the adjacent wave
What is the frequency wave ?
The number of waves that pass a given point each second
What is the unit used for frequency
Hertz , Hz
What is meany by a frequency of 200Hz?
200 waves pass a given point each second.
What is wave speed ?
The speed at which the wave moves or at which energy is transferred through a medium
What does a wave transfer?
Energy
State the equation used to calculate wave speed . Give appropiate units
Wave Speed = Frequency x Wavelength
Speed (m/s), Frequency (HZ),
Wavelength (m)
What word is used to describe when a wave bounces off a surface?
Reflection
How do sound waves travel through a solid ?
The particles in the solid vibrate and transfer kinetic energy through the material
What is the frequency range of human hearing ?
20 Hz - 20kHz
(1kHz = 1000 Hz)
What are ultrasound waves?
Waves which have a frequency higher than the upper limit of human hearing (20kHz).
Give an example use for ultrasound waves ?
Medical or industrial imaging
What natural event causes seismic waves to be produced ? What types are produced?
- Earthquakes
- They produce both P-waves and S-waves
State a difference between the mediums that P-waves and S-waves can travel through
- P-waves travel through both solids and liquids
- S-waves only travel through solids (not liquids)
What technique is used to detect objects in deep water and measure water depth ?
• Echo sounding
• High frequency sound waves are emitted, reflected and detected
• Time difference between emission and detection, alongside wave speed, are used to calculate distances
