Properties of waves, including light and sound Flashcards
What do waves transfer?
Energy
Waves transfer energy without transferring what?
Matter
Describe wave motion
- No matter travels with waves as it travels between 2 points
- Points on the wave vibrate back and forth about a fixed point
What is a wavefront?
A way of viewing waves from above
What is meant by the speed of a wave?
The distance travelled by a wave per second
What is meant by the frequency of a wave?
Number of waves passing any point per second
What is the SI unit for frequency?
Hertz (Hz)
What is the formula for frequency?
f= 1/period
What is meant by period?
Time taken for 1 oscillation
What is the SI unit for period?
Seconds (s)
What is meant by the term wavelength?
Distance from a point on one wave to the same point on the next wave
What is the SI unit for wavelength?
Metres (m)
What is the formula for speed?
v = fλ
What is meant by the term amplitude?
The height of a wave measured from the middle of the wave
What is a transverse wave?
Waves in which oscillations are perpendicular to direction of travel
What is a longitudinal wave?
Waves in which oscillations are parallel to direction of travel
What are 2 differences between transverse and longitudinal waves?
- Oscillations and direction of travel
2. Transverse waves have peaks and troughs and longitudinal waves have compressions and rarefactions
What are 3 wave effects?
- Reflection
- Refraction
- Diffraction
What is reflection?
The bouncing back of a wave
What is refraction?
The change in speed of a wave when it passes from one medium to another
What is diffraction?
The spreading of a wave
What are the laws of reflection?
- Angle of incidence = angle of reflection
2. The incident ray, reflected ray and the normal all lie in the same plane
What are the effects on speed, frequency and wavelength of a wave that is reflected?
No effect
What are 3 effects of refraction of a wave into a different medium?
- Change in speed
- Change in wavelength
- Change in direction