Waves Flashcards
What is a wave?
A type of disturbance that moves energy from one place to another
What do waves not transport?
Matter
What are waves caused by?
Vibrations / Oscillations
What is the difference between water and light waves?
Water waves oscillate up and down while light waves oscillate through space
What is the substance through which a wave moves through called?
The medium
What are the two ways that waves can oscillate?
Longitudinal and Transverse
What direction do Longitudinal waves travel?
Parallel to the direction of energy transfer
What direction do Transverse waves travel?
Perpendicular to direction of energy transfer
What are 3 examples of Longitudinal waves?
Sound, Ultrasound and Slinky (back and forth)
What are 10 examples of Transverse waves?
Light, Microwaves, Infra-red, Ultra-violet, Gamma rays, Radio waves, X-rays, Water waves, Rope, Slinky
What is the top of the wave called?
Peak/Crest
What is the bottom of the wave called?
Trough
What is the rest position of a wave?
Half way point between the peak and the trough about which the wave oscillates
What is the altitude of a wave?
The distance between the rest position and the peak/trough of the wave
What is the wavelength of a wave?
The distance from one point on a wave to the next point (eg. trough to trough)
What is the frequency of a wave?
Number of waves passing a point per unit time (eg. seconds)
What is frequency measured in?
Hertz
What does 1 Hz mean?
1 wave per second passes a point
What speed do sound waves travel at?
330 m/s
What speed do wave on water travel at?
10 m/s
What speed do light waves in a vacuum travel at?
3 x 10 to the power of 8 m/s
What is the relationship between speed, wavelength and frequency?
Speed = frequency x wavelength
v = f x upside-down y
When does the Doppler Effect occur?
Relative motion
If a person is further away from the source of the waves what is the frequency?
Lower
