Wave Properties

Question 1

What is the Amplitude of a wave?

Answer 1

It is the maximum displacement of a point on the wave from its undistributed position.

Question 2

What is meant by the Wavelength?

Answer 2

The distance between the same point on two adjacent waves. (measured from peak to peak)

Question 3

What is the Frequency of a wave?

Answer 3

The number of complete waves passing a certain point per second. (Measured in Hz)

Question 4

What is the period of a wave?

Answer 4

The amount of time it takes for a full cycle of the wave to pass a point.

Question 5

What equation links Period and Frequency

Answer 5

Period (s) = 1/Frequency (Hz)

Question 6

What are Transverse Waves?

Answer 6

Waves with oscillations (vibrations) that are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.

Question 7

What is an example of a Transverse Wave?

Answer 7

Ripples and Waves in Water

Question 8

What are Longitudinal Waves?

Answer 8

Waves that oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer.

Question 9

What is an example of a Longitudinal Wave?

Answer 9

Sound Waves

Question 10

What equation links Wave Speed, Frequency and Wavelength?

Answer 10

Wave Speed = Frequency x Wavelength

Question 11

What can happen if a wave arrives at a boundary between two different materials?

Answer 11

1) Absorbed
2) Transmitted
3) Reflected

Question 12

What happens if a wave is Absorbed?

Answer 12

This would transfer the energy to the materials energy stores.

Question 13

What happens if a wave is Transmitted?

Answer 13

• The wave would carry on travelling through the new material. (Used in communications e.g Bluetooth)
• Which often leads to rarefactions

Question 14

What happens if a wave is Reflected?

Answer 14

It is sent back away from the second material

Question 15

What happens to the speed of a wave when it crosses the boundary of two materials?

Answer 15

It changes

Question 16

What happens if a wave is travelling along the normal?

Answer 16

It will change speed, but NOT refracted

Question 17

What happens if the wave hits the boundary at an angle?

Answer 17

It changes direction (IS refracted)

Question 18

What happens to the wave if it speeds up or speeds down?

Answer 18

If it speeds up - Wave bends away from normal

If it slows down - Wave bends toward normal

Question 19

What affects the amount of refraction?

Answer 19

The speed of the wave, which is often affected by the DENSITY of an object

Question 20

What is meant by the optical density?

Answer 20

The measure of how quickly light can travel through a material. (The higher the optical density the slower the light is etc)

Question 21

What happens to the Wavelength when a wave is refracted?

Answer 21

It changes

Question 22

What happens to the Frequency when a wave is refracted?

Answer 22

It stays the same