Waves Flashcards
What are the two types of waves?
•Longitudinal
•Transverse
What is a transverse wave?
A wave where the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
What is a longitudinal wave?
A wave where the oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer
Give two examples of transverse waves
•Electromagnetic
•Seismic S-waves
•Ripples of the surface of water
Give two examples of longitudinal waves.
•Sound waves
•Seismic P-waves
What are the two parts of a longitudinal wave called?
•Compression
•Rarefaction
What is a waves amplitude?
The maximum displacement of a point on a wave from its undisturbed position
What is wavelength?
•The distance from a point on a wave to the same position on the adjacent wave
•Most commonly Peak to peak or trough to trough
What is the frequency of a wave?
The number of waves that pass a given point each second
What is the unit for frequency?
Hertz, Hz
What is meant if the frequency is 200Hz?
200 waves pass a given point each second
What is wave speed?
•The speed at which the wave moves
OR
•The speed at which energy is transferred through a medium
What does a wave transfer?
Energy
State the equation used to calculate wave speed. (GIVE UNITS)
Wave speed (m/s) = Frequency (Hz) x Wavelength (m)
What word is used to describe when a wave bounces off a surface?
Reflection
How do sound waves travel through a solid? (HIGHER ONLY)
The particles in the solid vibrate and transfer kinetic energy through the material
What is the frequency range of human hearing?
20Hz — 20kHz
(1kHz= 1000Hz)
What are ultrasound waves?
Waves which have a frequency higher than the upper limit of human hearing
Give an example for the usage of ultrasound waves.
Medical or Industrial imaging
What natural even causes seismic waves to be produced? What type are produced? (HIGHER ONLY)
•Earthquakes
•They produce both P-waves and S-waves
State the difference between the mediums that P-waves and S-waves can travel through. (HIGHER ONLY)
•P-waves travel through both solids and liquids
•S-waves only travel through solids (NOT liquids)
What technique can be used to detect objects in deep water and measure water depth? (HIGHER ONLY)
•Echo Sounding
•High frequency sound waves are emitter, reflected and detected
•Time difference between emission and detection, alongside the wave speed, are used to calculate distances.
