waves Flashcards
what are waves
waves transfer energy by causing particles of matter to oscillate (move in one direction then the opposite direction from one side to the other of a fixed point.- pendulum is an example of an object that oscillates
longitudinal waves
oscillations are parallel to (in the same plane as the direction of energy transfer)
example of a longitudinal wave
a spring being compressed and returning to its original shape
compressed region- compression
stretched region- rarefaction
transverse waves
oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
amplitude- from peak to bottom
wavelength- from bottom of one wave to the next. from one trough to the next.
from bottom to top of peak- amplitude
example of longitudinal waves
sound waves, seismic waves (p seismic waves)
examples of transverse waves
EM electromagnetic waves
microwaves, light and uv rays
transverse waves- oscillations are perpendicular to direction of energy transfer
wavelength m
distance between point on one wave and point on another wave that is exactly identical
crest to crest or trough to trough
lambda represents wavelength
amplitude m
measured in metres as it is a distance
maximum distance a particle can be displaced from rest position to a crest or trough. crest is highest point of wave and trough is lowest point of wave.
crest
highest point on a wave
trough
lowest point on a wave
frequency meaning
number of waves passing a point per second. 1HZ means 1 complete wavelength per second.
50HZ means 50 complete wavelengths per second
for sound waves what does a higher amplitude mean
for sound waves a higher amplitude means a louder sound and a higher frequency means higher pitch.
in sound waves what is amplitude directly proportional to
the volume for example. higher amplitude louder sound
in sound waves what is the frequency directly proportional to
frequency is directly proportional to the pitch. higher frequency higher pitch
oscillation
one complete wavelength
frequency equation
1/time period
time period time it takes for one complete wavelength (oscillation)
wavespeed equation two equations
state equation involving distance and time
distance travelled by the wave divided by time taken
second equation of wavespeed
frequency (hz) x wavelength m
frequency and what are inversely proportional
frequency= wavespeed/ wavelength
so frequency and wavelength are inversely proportional
longitudinal waves such as sound waves and siesmic p waves travel faster through solids than liquids and slowest in gases why?
because waves transfer energy causing particles of matter to oscillate. an object with a higher density such as solids allow the wave to travel faster than an object with low particle density such as gas as there are more particles of matter to oscillate in solids.
sound waves cannot travel through what
sound waves cannot travel through a vacuum as they transfer energy to particles of matter causing them to oscillate.