wave properties (required practicals)

Question 1

what is the amplitude of a wave?

Answer 1

the maximum displacement of a point on a wave from it’s undisturbed position.

Question 2

what is the wavelength of a wave?

Answer 2

the distance between the same point on two adjacent waves.

Question 3

what is the frequency of a wave?

Answer 3

the number of complete waves passing a certain point every second. Hz

Question 4

what are the 2 types of wave?

Answer 4

transverse.
longitudinal.

Question 5

what are transverse waves?

Answer 5

waves where oscillations vibrations are perpendicular up and down to the direction the wave is travelling. direction of energy transfer

Question 6

what are some examples of transverse waves? (3)

Answer 6

all electromagnetic waves.
ripples in water.
a wave on a string.

Question 7

what are longitudinal waves?

Answer 7

waves where oscillations are parallel left and right to the direction the wave is travelling. direction of energy transfer

Question 8

what are some examples of longitudinal waves? (2)

Answer 8

sound waves.
shock waves.

Question 9

what is wave speed?

Answer 9

the rate that energy is being transferred. the speed of the wave

Question 10

what is the formula for wave speed?

Answer 10

wave speed m/s = frequency Hz x wavelength λ m

Question 11

how do you investigate reflection of light? (required practical)

Answer 11

1. draw a straight line across some paper and place an object so one of it’s sides lines up with the line.
2. use a light box to shine a beam of light at the surface of the object and trace the incoming and reflected light rays.
3. draw the normal at the point where the light hits the object.
4. use a protractor to measure the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection. either side of the normal
5. repeat this experiment with different objects.

Question 12

how do you investigate refraction of light? (required practical)

Answer 12

1. place a transparent rectangular block on some paper and trace around it.
2. use a light box to shine a beam of light into the box and trace the incidence ray and mark where the light emerges out the box.
3. remove the block and join the incidence ray and the point where the light leaves.
4. draw the normal where the light enters the block and use a protractor to measure the angle between the incident ray and the normal angle of incidence and the angle between the reflected ray and the normal. angle of refraction
5. repeat this experiment using blocks made of different materials.

Question 13

what are sound waves caused by?

Answer 13

vibrating objects.

Question 14

how do sound waves move around?

Answer 14

vibrations are passed through surrounding mediums by compressions and rarefractions longitudinal waves

Question 15

when do sound waves refract and reflect?

Answer 15

they reflect when they hit hard flat surfaces.
they refract when they enter different mediums. they speed up if the material is denser

Question 16

how are waves useful?

Answer 16

exploring areas.
earthquake detection. with seismometers

Question 17

what are the 2 types of seismic waves?

Answer 17

P waves. longitudinal and faster than S waves and travel through solids and liquids
S waves. transverse and slower than P waves and can’t travel through liquid or gas