Types of Waves

Question 1

What are waves?

Answer 1

Oscillations that transfer energy

Question 2

What are the two types of waves?

Answer 2

1. Transverse

2. Longitudinal

Question 3

What are the features of transverse waves?

Answer 3

1. The oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.
2. Has a peak (max amplitude above the rest position) and a trough ( max amplitude below the rest position)
3. Amplitude is measured vertically

Question 4

What are the features of longitudinal waves?

Answer 4

1. Oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer
2. Have compression (area where the particles are closer together) and rarefaction (area where the particles are further apart).
3. Amplitude is measured horizontally.

Question 5

What is amplitude? Measured in?

Answer 5

Max distance the wave travels from the rest position measured in metres.

Question 6

What is wavelength? Measured in?

Answer 6

The distance from a point on a wave to the same position on the next wave (e.g peak to peak, trough to trough) measured in metres.

Question 7

What is frequency? Measured in?

Answer 7

Amount of waves per second measured in Hertz (Hz)

Question 8

What is a period? Measured in?

Answer 8

Time taken for 1 complete wave to pass a particular point, measured in seconds.

Question 9

What is the wave equation?

Answer 9

Wave speed (v, m/s) = frequency (f, Hz) x wavelength (lambda, metres)

Question 10

How are periods and frequency linked?

Answer 10

1. Frequency = 1/period

2. Period = 1/frequency

Question 11

Why does wavelength change when passing through a different medium?

Answer 11

When waves travel through a less dense medium, they speed up, so the wavelength increases to keep the frequency the same.