Topic 1 Waves And Their Properties Flashcards
What is a mechanical wave?
Waves that need a material to travel through are called mechanical waves. Examples are sound waves and water waves
Example sentence: Sound waves and water waves are examples of mechanical waves.
What are the two types of waves?
There exist two types of waves: transverse and longitudinal
Example sentence: Transverse and longitudinal are the two types of waves.
What are transverse waves?
Transverse waves have every particle moving up and down. These can be seen either with a rope or with a slinky spring by giving a quick wiggle at right angles to the rope or spring.
Example sentence: Transverse waves have particles moving up and down.
How do the particles of the medium vibrate in a transverse wave?
The particles of the medium through which the wave moves, vibrate at 90° to the direction of motion of the wave
Example sentence: The particles vibrate at 90° to the direction of motion.
What consists of a transverse wave?
A transverse wave consists of Crests and throughs.
Example sentence: A transverse wave consists of crests and throughs.
What are two examples of transverse waves?
Two examples of transverse waves are: Light waves and microwaves
Example sentence: Light waves and microwaves are examples of transverse waves.
What do the particles do in a longitudinal wave?
The particles move backwards and forward.
Example: In a slinky spring.
How do the particles of the medium vibrate in a longitudinal wave?
The particles vibrate parallel to the direction of motion of the wave.
Instead of crests and troughs, what do we have in longitudinal waves?
Compressions and Rarefactions.
What are two examples of longitudinal waves?
Sound and ultrasound.
Example: Special whistles using ultrasound to call dogs.
Why can special whistles using ultrasound to call dogs not disturb neighbors?
Because humans can’t hear ultrasound.
What is Amplitude?
Amplitude (a) is the maximum displacement from the rest position, that is, the height of a Crest or a through.
Example: The amplitude of the wave is 2 meters.
What is Wavelength?
The wavelength is the distance between two particles, which have the same displacement and are moving in the same direction. For example, the distance between two successive Crests or throughs. In wavelengths the Greek letter called “lambda” is used to show a wavelength.
Additional information: Wavelength is measured in meters.
What is Wave Velocity?
The wave velocity (v) is the distance moved by any point on the wave example a crest in one second. (velocity = distance /time)
Example sentence: The wave velocity of the ocean wave is 5 m/s.
What is Frequency?
Frequency (f) is the number of complete waves generated in one second. Frequency is measured in Hertz. 1Hz = 1 wave/s. The frequency of the wave is determined by the frequency of the source. The source is the generator (producer) of the wave.
Frequency is denoted by the symbol f.
