The Nature of Waves Flashcards
Transverse wave
Vibrations are perpendicular /90 degrees to the direction of movement
Longitudinal wave
Vibrations are parallel to the direction of movement
Progressive wave
Wave that transfers energy from one place to another with no net movement of particles
They can be:
reflected
refracted
diffracted
Examples of transverse
UV rays, Radio waves, light waves, gamma rays, x-rays,microwaves
Examples of longitudinal
Seismic p-waves, sound waves
Amplitude
Maximum displacement measured from the equillibrium
Wavelength
Distance between two adjacent peaks of a wave
Frequency
Amount of wavelengths passing a point per unit time
Period
Time taken for a wave to make one complete oscillation
In phase
When two or more particles are vibrating in exactly the same way
Antiphase
When two or more particles are vibrating exactly out of phase
Polarisation
Process of turning unpolarised waves into plane polarised waves.
Unpolarised wave
Waves in which vibrations travel in all directions at right angles to the direction of propagation of the wave
Polarised wave
Transverse wave in which particle oscillations occur in only one of the directions at right angles to the direction of wave propagation.
Describe how the intensity of the light varies as the analyser is rotated through angles 0 -360
As you rotate 90 the light intensity decreases due to the first polaroid being placed vertically and the second being turned into the horizontal plane meaning the wave cannot pass.
As you turn again to 180 the light intensity increase as the second polaroid matches the vertical position of the first polaroid meaning light can pass.
Same for 270 and 360
