Wave key terms

Question 1

What is displacement of a vibrating particle?

Answer 1

distance and direction from its equilibrium of position

Question 2

What is amplitude of a wave?

Answer 2

max. displacement of a vibrating particle

for transverse - height of crests or trough from the equilibrium position

Question 3

What is wavelength of a wave?

Answer 3

the least distance between two adjacent vibrating particles with the same displacement and velocity at the same time

e.g distance between two adjacent crests.

Question 4

What is one complete wave cycle?

Answer 4

max. displacement to the next maximum displacement

one peak to the next

Question 5

What is the period?

Answer 5

the time for one complete wave to pass a fixed point

Question 6

What is the frequency?

Answer 6

the number of cycles of vibration of a particle per second

or the number of complete waves passing a point per second

Question 7

What is the equation for the period of the wave?

Answer 7

1 / f = period of the wave