Wave definitions Flashcards
What are progressive waves?
Move outwards from their source and transfer energy without transferring matter.
What is a wave?
A periodic oscillation in a material or space
What is an oscillation?
Vibration of a particle wave or source through one complete cycle. Produced by regular, repetitive motion. Each particle oscillates about a fixed position.
What does periodic mean?
Something that happens at regular intervals
What is the displacement of a wave?
How far apart a wave is from the equilibrium position. Displacement is a vector quantity .
What is the equilibrium position?
The position of an undisturbed wave
What is the amplitude?
The maximum displacement of the wave from the undisturbed position
What is the wavelength?
The distance between two points on a wave that have the same amplitude and are moving in the same direction
What is the periodic time?
The time taken for a wave peak to travel the distance of one wavelength
What is the frequency?
The number of waves produced in one second. Measured in Hertz.
What is phase difference?
The amount of by which one part of a wave leads or lags behind another part.
What is the wave equation?
wave speed = frequency x wavelength
What is the equation for frequency?
1/periodic time
