Properties Of Waves Flashcards
What are waves and what can they transfer?
Waves are a way of transferring energy from place to place. And they only transfer energy not matter
What can waves be described as? And what are they?
Oscillations - a movement about a mean position. Meaning up and down or left or right (the difference between transverse and longitudinal.
What are transverse waves?
A wave where the vibrations of this wave are at a right angle to the direction in which the wave is moving. This is a type of wave where their particles move up and down.
What are examples of transverse waves?
Light waves
Waves traveling on the surface of water
Microwave waves
All other electromagnetic waves
What is a longitudinal wave?
A wave where the direction of oscillations is the same direction of wave travel. It is a type of wave which their particles vibrate back and forth.
What are examples of longitudinal waves?
Sound waves Shock waves (e.g. seismic waves)
What is the medium of a wave and what happens if you change it?
The medium of a wave is the substance in which the wave is travelling through. If you change the medium, it changes the speed of the wave.
What is the speed of light?
3 x 10^8
What is the peak/crest?
The highest point above the mean position
What is the trough?
The lowest point below the mean position
What is the mean position?
The position of particles when they are not vibrating.
What is the amplitude?
The heigh of the wave from the rest position to the crest or the maximum movement from the mean position
What is the wavelength? What is it measured in and what is the symbol?
Distance from one point on a wave to the same point on the next wave. It is measured is mètres and the symbol is λ.
What is the time period? What is it measured in? What is their symbol?
The time it takes for one complete wave to pass a point. Measured is seconds and the symbol is T.
What is the frequency? What is it measured in? What is the symbol?
The number of waves passing a point in seconds. Measured in Hz and symbol is F.
