Waves Flashcards
Example of a transverse wave
Ripples in a pond
What are longitudinal waves
When the vibrations are parallel to the direction of travel
Example of longitudinal waves
Sound waves
What is a progressive wave
A wave that transfers energy without transferring matter
What is amplitude
The height of a crest of the depth of a trough measures from the mid line of a wave in meters
What is wavelength
The distance between two points in a wave such as two crests or two troughs
What is frequency
The number of waves to pass a point per second measured in hertz
What is the time period
The time taken for 1 wave to pass a point measured in seconds
Link frequency and time period
T=1/F
What is the wave equation
Wavespeed=frequency x wavelength
What is the law of reflection
The angle if incidence equals the angle of reflection
What is a real image
When the rays of light do go through the image
What is a virtual image
When the rays of light do not pass through the image
What happens during refraction in air
Due to the wave slowing down as it enters a more optically dense medium which results in the angle of incidence decreasing.
When the wave reaches a less optically dense medium, the angle of refraction is larger than the angle of incidence as the wave speeds up
What happens in refraction in water
When the wave hits deep water, the angle of refraction is bigger than the angle of incidence as the wave speeds up. When the wave hits the shallow water, the angle of refraction is smaller than the angle of incidence as the wave slows down.