Wave Motion Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

What is wave motion?

A

It is the transfer of energy by propagation of oscillations without the net movement of the medium.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is a wavefront?

A

It is a surface over which a wave is at the same phase of oscillation at all points.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is displacement of a wave?

A

It is the distance and direction of the medium’s element from its equilibrium position.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the amplitude of a wave?

A

It is the maximum magnitude of the displacement.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the period of a wave?

A

It is the time taken for the medium to complete one oscillation cycle.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is frequency of a wave?

A

It is the number of complete oscillations per unit time made by a point of the wave.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is wavelength?

A

If is the distance between two consecutive points in the wave that are at the same phase of oscillation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is speed of a wave?

A

It is the distance travelled by any pet if a waveform per unit time.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the phase difference between two waves or between two points in a wave?

A

It is the difference in the phase of their oscillation cycle expressed in terms of an angle.
Distance/wavelength x 2π

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What does it mean when two waves are coherent?

A

There is constant phase difference between them which implies they have the same frequency.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the difference between two coherent waves at a particular time?

A

If is the distance between the points of the waves that are in the same phase out of the wavelength x2π

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

When the phase difference is 0 or an integer multiple of 2π, they are _____.

A

In phase.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the difference between propagation and oscillation?

A

Propagation is wave motion whole oscillation refers to oscillation of the medium.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is speed of wave?(not medium!) How is it derived?

A

v=fλ

v= distance/time = λ/T = fλ

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is the difference between progressive waves and stationary waves?

A

Progressive waves transfer energy as a result of oscillation while stationary waves …..

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How are stationary waves formed?

A

By the superposition of 2 progressive waves.

17
Q

What is wave intensity?

A

It is the average energy transferred per unit time per unit area perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.

18
Q

State the relationship between intensity and amplitude of a wave.

A

I is directly proportional to A^2.

19
Q

What is the difference between transverse waves and longitudinal waves?

A

Transverse waves: medium oscillates in the plane normal to the direction of energy transfer or wave propagation
Longitudinal waves: medium oscillates in the direction parallel to the direction of energy transfer or wave propagation

20
Q

What is polarisation of waves?

A

A waves oscillations are made to occur in one direction only, in the plane normal to the direction of energy transfer.

21
Q

Why can’t longtitudinal waves be polarised?

A

They can only oscillate in the direction of energy transfer.

22
Q

How is light polarised?

A

It is polarised when passed through a Polaroid.

23
Q

When light passes through a Polaroid at and angle θ, what will its new amplitude be?
*angle to the amplitude.

A

Acosθ

24
Q

How to determine whether light is polarised?

A

By viewing the light source through a piece of Polaroid. Unpolarised light will be visible at all angles.

25
Q

Sound waves are ______ waves.

A

Longtitudinal

26
Q

The cathode-Ray-oscilloscope represents _____ using _____.

A

Waveforms using time-base represented by length.

27
Q

To obtain a wave form of sound, the c.r.o. is _____.

A

Connected to a microphone which is placed near the source. The time-base is adjusted until a stationary trace is obtained.

28
Q

How to determine the wave length of sound using stationary waves?

A

Place the source of sound at a distance from a PLANE REFLECTING wall in a large chamber. Stationary waves are formed by incident and reflected sound waves.
A microphone connected to the cro is moved from one mode to another to determine the Nidal separation. λ is 2x the separation.