waves Flashcards
what do waves transfer?
they transfer energy
what is the wavelength of a wave?
the distance between the top of each wave
what is the amplitude of a wave?
the distance from the top of the wave to the middle line
what is the frequency?
the number of waves that pass in a certain time
if you increase the frequency, what else increases?
velocity increases
if you increase the wavelength, what else increases?
velocity increases
what are the two types of waves?
transverse waves and longitudinal waves
what are transverse waves?
waves that vibrate perpendicular to the direction of the wave, they are S waves, they are light waves
what are longitudinal waves?
waves that vibrate parallel to the direction of the wave, they are P waves, they are sound waves
what happens when a wave passes through something denser? (air to glass)
the wave refracts when it enters the object and then returns to its normal position after it comes out of the object, the speed decreases, the wavelength decreases
what happens during reflection on a smooth surface?
waves reflect off a flat surface, the smoother the surface the stronger the reflected wave
what happens when reflecting on a rough surface?
the light scatters in all directions so it won’t look reflective, instead it will look matte
what is the angle of incidence equal to?
the angle of reflection
what is transmission
where waves pass through a transparent material
what happens the more transparent an object gets in transmission?
the more transparent, the more light will pass through the material
