Waves Flashcards
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What is a wave?
An oscillation (vibration) that transfers energy from one place to another.
What is a transverse wave?
A wave that oscillates at right angles to the direction that energy is transferred.
What are some examples of transverse waves?
Water waves, light, Mexican waves, radio waves and microwaves.
What is a longitudinal wave?
A wave that oscillates in the same direction that energy is transferred.
What is a prime example of a longitudinal wave?
Sound-waves.
What is the highest point on a transverse wave called?
The peak (or crest).
What is the lowest point on a transverse wave called?
The trough.
What is the point on a longitudinal wave where it is spread out called?
A rarefaction.
What is the point on a longitudinal wave where it is close together called?
A compression.
What is wavelength?
The distance between one point on a wave and the same point on the next wave. It is often easiest to measure from the peak or trough of one wave to the other.
What is amplitude?
The height from the peak or trough to the middle (always equal).
What is the formula for calculating the wave’s speed?
V=D/T - Velocity (m/s) = distance (m) divided by time (secs).
What is frequency?
The number of waves a second.
What is the formula for frequency?
f=N/t - frequency (Hz) = number divided by time (secs)
In what order from fastest to slowest would sound travel through the following materials: rubber, foam, brick and air?
Brick, rubber, foam and air.
In what environment do sound waves travel the quickest?
In dense solids, the close-together particles can transfer the energy faster as they vibrate.
What is a light year?
The distance traveled by light in a year.
How would you conduct an experiment on light reflecting off mirrors?
First you draw a horizontal line on paper where the mirror stands up. Then draw a vertical line protruding out of the middle of the previous one to mark 90 degrees. After this set up, use a protractor to systematically turn the light around a range of different degrees. Finally, mark the places where the reflected beams were on the paper, and measure the degrees between the mark and the ninety degrees line.
How does shining light onto a mirror work?
The angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence.
What does luminous mean?
Giving off light / bright or shining.
What does luminosity mean?
How luminous an object is - (the brightness).
What does transparent mean?
Allowing light to pass through.
What does translucent mean?
Allowing light - but not detailed shapes - to pass through.
What does opaque mean?
Not allowing light to pass through.
How would you conduct an experiment measuring the speed of sound?
Measure a reasonably long distance with a trundle wheel (minimum 100 metres). Put you and a volunteer at either end of that distance. You shout and put up your hand at the exact same moment. The volunteer starts a stopwatch when he sees your hand rise, and stops it when he hears you shout. Divide the distance by the time to work out the speed.
What are the radiation safety precautions?
Time (spend little time as possible exposed), distance (don’t be near the radiation as much as possible) and shielding (materials that act as a barrier between you and the radiation.
What protects you from gamma waves?
Barriers of lead, concrete or water.
How does noise cancellation work?
The original noise is canceled or not heard because of the opposite sound waves being produced. This is usually done by a microphone that analyses the ambient surrounding sounds and generates the opposite of them.
What are some advantages of fossil fuels?
It is cost-effective, can generate a lot of electricity, can be found easily and there is a plentiful supply (despite being finite).
What are some disadvantages of fossil fuels?
It is not a renewable energy source, it pollutes the environment and they can be dangerous if used irresponsibly.
What are some advantages of nuclear power?
It is a clean energy source, it creates jobs (nearly half a million), it is reliable so that if other energy sources fail, we can always use this one.
What are some disadvantages to nuclear energy?
Nuclear power is very dangerous if misused, it generates radioactive waste that is hard to get rid of and Uranium is not a renewable material.