Topic 4) Waves Flashcards
types of waves
transverse
longitudinal
what direction do longitudinal waves travel?
the vibrations travel parallel to the direction of the wave
examples of longitudinal waves
sound waves
ultrasound waves
seismic P-waves
what do longitudinal waves show?
the areas of compression and rarefaction
what are compressions?
regions of high pressure due to particles being close together
what are rarefactions?
regions of low pressure due to particles being spread further apart
what direction do transverse waves travel?
the vibrations travel at right angles to the direction the wave travel
examples of transverse waves
ripples on the surface of the water
vibrations in a guitar string
seismic S-waves
what is the equation for time period?
time period = 1/frequency
what is the equation for wave speed?
wave speed = frequency x wavelength
what is the experiment for measuring waves?
measuring waves in a ripple tank
what does measuring waves in a ripple tank measure?
frequency, wavelength and the speed of waves
what is a hazard of the wave frequency experiment?
electrical components near water
what is refraction?
the change in direction of a wave at such a boundary
what type of waves can be refracted?
all waves
what is the factor affecting the speed that a wave will be transmitted though?
the density of the material
when a wave meets an interface (boundary) between two materials, what happens?
the waves can be:
reflected
transmitted
absorbed
what does wavelength effect?
how much of the wave’s energy is reflected, absorbed or transmitted
