waves Flashcards
Displacement (wave) definition
waves
distance in a specified direction from its equilibrium position of a particle on a wave
Waves definition
waves
a vibration or disturbance that transfers energy with no transferring of any physical matter
Amplitude (wave) definition
waves
magnitude of the maximum displacement from its equilibrium position of a particle on a wave
Period definition
waves
time taken for a particle in the wave to complete one oscillation
Frequency definition
waves
number of oscillations completed by each particle of the wave per unit time
Phase Difference definition
waves
between two waves
the measure of the fraction of a cycle that one wave (or one particle) is moving out of step with the other
between two particles along one wave
the measure of the fraction of a cycle that one particle is moving out of step with the other
(use the correct definition based on the context)
Wavelength (lamda) definition
waves
distance between 1 crest to another/1 through to another of a progressive wave
Wave Speed definition
waves
distance travelled by the wave per unit time
(wave speed is a constant value and is NOT the speed of the individual oscillating particles that are constantly changing their speeds.)
Types of waves
waves
- progressive waves
- transverse waves
- longitudanal waves
Progressive Waves definition
waves
- energy transfer in the direction of wave propagation by the oscillation of the particles in the medium
- the waveform appears to be moving although the particles in the medium do not get transported along the wave
Transverse Waves definition
waves
- waves that travel perpendicular to wave propagation
- the plane of oscillations of the particles in the medium are at right angles to the direction of wave propagation
Longitudanal Waves definition
waves
- waves that travel parallel to wave propagation
- particles in the medium oscillate along an axis parallel to the direction of wave propagation
Intensity definition
waves
power per unit area transferred across an area perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer
Unpolarised Transverse Waves definition
waves
a wave where the oscillations are in all directions in a plane normal to the direction of energy transfer
Plane-Polarised Transverse Waves definition
waves
a wave where the oscillations are confined to one direction in a plane normal to the direction of energy transfer
