Transverse and Longitudinal waves - Waves Flashcards
What is the medium on a wave?
The medium is what the wave is traveling through - e.g air or water,
When a wave travels through a medium, what happens with the particles?
The parties of the medium vibrate, and transfer energy between eachother as they vibrate, but overall the particles stay in the same place.
In transverse waves, the vibrations are ____ to the direction of the energy transfer.
Perpendicular (at right angles)
What are examples of transverse waves?
Light, ripples in water and waves on a string, and a spring wiggled moved up and down.
In longitudinal waves, the vibrations are in the ____ as the energy transfer.
Same direction.
What do longitudinal waves look like?
They have compressions (where the particles squish together) and rarefactions (where they spread out)
What is an example of a longitudinal waves?
Sound wave, pushing the end of the spring forward and backwards.
What is the amplitude on a wave?
Maximum displacement of a point on the wave from its undisturbed position.
What is a wavelength in a wave?
Distance from one point in a wave to the same point in the next wave.
What is the frequency of a wave meaning?
Number of complete waves passing a certain point each second.
What is frequency measured in and how many waves is 1(unit) it per second?
Hz.
1Hz = 1 wave per second.
What is period in the wave?
Amount of time it takes for one complete wave to pass a certain point.
What’s the crest of a wave?
Highest point of the wave.
What’s the trough of a wave?
Lowest point of the wave.
