Waves Flashcards
What is a wave?
A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another without transferring matter.
True or False: Waves can travel through a vacuum.
True
Fill in the blank: The distance between two consecutive crests of a wave is called the ______.
wavelength
What is the formula for calculating wave speed?
Wave speed = frequency × wavelength
What is the unit of frequency?
Hertz (Hz)
True or False: Sound waves are an example of longitudinal waves.
True
What is the frequency of a wave if its wavelength is 2 meters and its speed is 10 m/s?
5 Hz
What type of wave oscillates perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer?
Transverse wave
Fill in the blank: The amplitude of a wave is the maximum ______ from the rest position.
displacement
What phenomenon occurs when waves bend around obstacles?
Diffraction
What is the term for the frequency at which a system naturally oscillates?
Natural frequency
True or False: In a longitudinal wave, the particles of the medium move parallel to the direction of the wave.
True
What are the two main types of mechanical waves?
Transverse waves and longitudinal waves
What is the relationship between frequency and period?
Frequency is the reciprocal of the period (frequency = 1/period).
What is the effect of increasing amplitude on a wave?
Increasing amplitude increases the energy of the wave.
Fill in the blank: The ______ of a wave is the time taken for one complete cycle to pass a given point.
period
What happens to the wavelength of a wave if the frequency increases while the wave speed remains constant?
The wavelength decreases.
What is refraction?
Refraction is the bending of waves as they pass from one medium to another due to a change in speed.
True or False: Waves can interfere with each other.
True
What is constructive interference?
Constructive interference occurs when two waves combine to produce a wave with a larger amplitude.
What is destructive interference?
Destructive interference occurs when two waves combine to produce a wave with a smaller amplitude.
Fill in the blank: The speed of sound in air at room temperature is approximately ______ m/s.
343
What is the Doppler effect?
The Doppler effect is the change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the source of the wave.
What is the difference between a wave’s speed and its energy?
Wave speed refers to how fast the wave travels, while energy refers to the capacity of the wave to do work.
True or False: All waves can be described by the same fundamental properties.
True
What is the term for the maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position?
Amplitude
What is refraction ?
When a wave passes from one medium to another
When a wave passes through a denser medium what happens ?
Speed decreases, wavelength decreases, light bends closer to the normal
Do waves reflect off a flat surface ?
Yes
True or False waves cannot pass through a transparent material?
False
What does the outer ear do to sound waves ?
It channels it down the ear canal
