Waves Flashcards

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1
Q

Wave

A

A continuous disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another without transferring matter

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2
Q

Transverse Wave

A

Particles vibrate back and forth perpendicular to the direction of the wave

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3
Q

Longitudinal Wave

A

Particles vibrate back and forth parallel to the direction of the wave

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4
Q

Surface Waves

A

Combination of transverse and longitudinal wave. Circular motion

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5
Q

Mechanical Wave

A

Waves that require a maedium to travel through

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6
Q

Medium

A

The material through which a wave travels

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7
Q

Amplitude

A

The max distance the particles of a medium move away from their rest positions as a wave passes through a medium

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8
Q

Wavelength

A

The distance between two corresponding points on adjacent waves

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9
Q

Frequency

A

The number of complete waves that pass a given point in a certain amound of time

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10
Q

Speed

A

How far the wave travels in one unit of time (d/t)

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11
Q

Pulse

A

A disturbance that moved through a medium from one point to another

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12
Q

Absorption of Light

A

When light transfers energy to matter, it increases the temperature of matter. Classifed on basis of interactions with light

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13
Q

Transparent

A

Matter that transmits light without scattering it. Can clearly see through it.
Ex. Clear glass, air

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14
Q

Translucent

A

Matter that transmits light but scatters it as it passes through. Light passes through translucent objects but you cannot see clearly through them because the light is scattered.
Ex. Paper, frosted glass

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15
Q

Opaque

A

Matter that does not let only light pass through. Matter can be opaque because it absorbs light, reflects light, or a combo of both.
Ex. Window shutters

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16
Q

Reflection

A

When a wave hits a surface through which it cannot pass, it bounces back.
Ex. Mirror reflection

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17
Q

Regular/specular reflection

A

If the light rays hit a smooth surface and reflected light makes a clear image.

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18
Q

Diverse Reflection

A

When light is reflected from a rough surface, the waves of light are reflected in many different directions, so a clear image does not form.

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19
Q

Law of Reflection

A

The angle of reflection = angle of incidence

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20
Q

Reflection

A

When a wave moved from on medium into another medium at an angle. It changes speed as it enters the second medium which causes it to bend.

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21
Q

Refraction

A

The bending of waves due to a change in speed

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22
Q

Diffraction

A

The bending of a wave around a obstacle or through an opening in an obstacle.

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23
Q

Interference

A

Interaction when 2 or more waves meet.

24
Q

Constructive Interference

A

Occurs when 2 waves combine to make a wave with a larger amplitude.

25
Q

Destructive Interference

A

When the amplitude of 2 waves combine with each other producing a smaller amplitude.

26
Q

Standing waves

A

Wave that appears to stand in one place even though it is really 2 waves interfering as they pass through each other.

27
Q

Seismic Waves

A

Energy released when the stress inside the Earth builds up due to various geologic activities, causing the rock to break or change shape.

28
Q

Primary Waves

A

Longitudinal seismic waves. Made of compressions and rarefactions of rock inside Earth.

29
Q

Secondary Waves

A

Transverse waves with crests and troughs. Can’t travel through liquid; cannot feel on other side of Earth since Earth’s core is liquid.

30
Q

Snell’s Law of Refraction

A

Predicts the amount at which a light ray will bend/refract as it passes from one medium to another.

31
Q

How to calculate wave speed, frequency, and wavelength?

A

Wavelength = speed/frequency
Frequency = speed/wavelength
Speed = wavelength * frequency

32
Q

Sound waves vs light waves

A

Sound needs a medium to travel. Sound can diffract around corners and through barriers. Can be longitudinal or mechanical waves.
Light can travel through a vaccuum. Can be transverse or electromagentic waves.

33
Q

How does changing frequency affect sound and light?

A

Sound: If frequency is increased, the pitch is increased (and vice versa).
Light: If frequency is higher, the color is closer to violet (lower - red)

34
Q

How does amplitude affect sound and light?

A

Sound: Amplitude increased - louder, decreased - quieter.
Light - Amplitude increased - brighter, decreased - dimmer.

35
Q

How does wave intensity change w/ distance?

A

As the distance increases, the intensity decreases because when waves travel farther from their source, their energy becomes more spread out.

36
Q

How does density affect the speed of sound and light?

A

Sound: The greater the density of the medium, the faster the speed of sound (proportional).
Light: Light will travel slower in a denser medium (improportional).

37
Q

EM Spectrum and where visible light is located

A

EM Waves: Transfer energy without medium or across matter. Consist of vibrating electric and magnetic fields.
They reflect, refract, and diffract.
Radio Waves, Microwaves, Infrared, Visible Light, UV, X-rays, Gamma Rays.

38
Q

Relationship between amplitude and energy

A

Higher amp = higher energy and vice versa.
This allows us to control the amount of energy carried by a wave.

39
Q

Relationship between amplitude and frequency

A

Higher frequency = higher energy and vice versa

40
Q

Transverse Waves vs Longitudinal Waves

A

Transverse waves are perpendicular to the direction of the wave, longitudinal are parallel. Both are mechanical waves and have properties like wavelength, frequency, and amplitude.

41
Q

Why do we see colors?

A

When light hits an object, the object reflects some of that light and absorbs the rest of it. Some objects reflect more of a certain wavelength than others.

42
Q

Why does the speed of sound and light change based on medium?

A

Speed of sound depends on elasticity, density, and temperature of medium. Higher degree of elasticity = sound travels quicker. Lower temp = sound travels slower.

Speed of light becomes slower in denser medium because there is more matter from which the light can scatter or interfere with.

43
Q

Doppler Effect

A

A change in the frequency of sound waves that occurs when the source of the sound waves is moving relative to a stationary listener.

44
Q

How do we hear?

A

Sound waves enter ear which collects the sound as sound waves travel through the ear canal. Pathway leads to eardrum. The incoming sound wave causes the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations travel to 3 small bones in the middle of ear (stirrup, anvil, hammer) which convert into nerver signals in the inner ear. These signals travel to the brain along the cochlear nerve (auditory nerve).

45
Q

How does hearing loss occur?

A

Hairs in the cochlea become damaged

46
Q

Parts of the eye: iris, cornea, lens, vitreous body, scelera, retina, optic nerve, macula, choroid layer

A

Iris: controls how much light enters the eye
Cornea: helps focus light into the eye
Lens: by changing its shape it changes the local distance of the human eye
Vitreous Body: filled with gel like fluid that helps with eye shape
Scelera: “eye white” tough protective layer of outer eye
Retina: converts light signals from the lens into neural signals
Optic nerve: carries neural signals to brain and back
Macula: responsible for giving clear vision and ability to see fine detail
Choroid Layer: supplies blood to eye

47
Q

Myopia vs hyperopia

A

Myopia is nearsightedness, near objects are clear, far objects are blurry. Elongates eye.
Hyperopia is farsightedness, near objects are blurry, far objects are clear. Shortens eye.

48
Q

How we see

A

Light enters through transparent structures in the front of the eye. Lens & other structures work to focus the image on the retina. Cells in the retina change image to electrical signals that travel to the brain through the optic nerve. Brain interprets electrical signals as shape, color, and brightness.

49
Q

Optical Fibers

A

Bundle of thin glass tubes, microscopic. Used to transport data in the form of light using reflection and refraction.

50
Q

Mirror

A

Glass with shiny metal backing

51
Q

Real Image

A

Forms in front of mirror

52
Q

Virtual Image

A

Forms behind the mirror

53
Q

Convex mirror

A

Reflected surface bulges outwards towards the light source. Virtual, upright, smaller than actual object.

54
Q

Concave Mirror

A

Bulges inwards.

55
Q

Convex Lens

A

Thin at the edges, thicker at the center.

56
Q

Concave Lens

A

Thicker at edges, thin at center.